


Prelude to 2033: A Broken Wing

by redhoodie2033



Series: Prelude to 2033 [1]
Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Justice 2033 AU, Multi, Psychological Torture, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:54:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 15
Words: 59,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24559498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redhoodie2033/pseuds/redhoodie2033
Summary: Jason Todd's life was nothing if not complicated, all beginning with the loss of his parents. He began to give into the trap- give into his life of crime, as it was all he could see before him. The fourteen year old almost couldn't believe it when his life was changed the moment he met a kind man dressed like a bat.This is the first part of an interconnected alternate future: 2033.
Relationships: Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson, Selina Kyle & Bruce Wayne
Series: Prelude to 2033 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2077962
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	1. A Tired Routine

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: Just to establish a timeline, the events here are set in 2011.

Rain threatens to flood the streets of Gotham City as traffic comes to a halt in the neighborhood of Park Row. Dilapidated buildings from decades past sit in a depressing state, many too dangerous to live in. The neighborhood, like most of the sprawling metropolis, is neatly organized in a grid system contrary to the chaotic tendencies of the city itself.

On the Eastern end of the neighborhood, opposite from the old courthouse, is a pair of teenage boys moving like the wind through an alleyway. The one in the lead wears an old, ratty beanie and the other wears a red hoodie, the hood pulled over his head. As the two approach the back of an old, brick building, the lead teenager knocks over a metal trash can.

“Easy, Jasper,” the one with the hoodie scolds. “They could hear that in Metropolis.”

“Shut up, Jason,” Jasper snaps back. “Like you could do better.”

“I could,” Jason replies, running ahead of his partner.

“Hey!” Jasper says in a harsh whisper.

Jason, in a flashy show of acrobatics, climbs atop a dumpster and leaps up, grabbing the lower bars of the fire escape. He admittedly struggles to keep his grip amidst the downpour. However, Jason manages to pull himself up the rails before lowering the fire escape. Jasper scowls up at his cohort who, in return, gives a snarky bow.

“You coming, Mister Hart?” Jason jokes.

“Shut up, Todd,” Jasper says as he climbs up the fire escape. “Let’s just get the meds.”

Jasper bumps into Jason as he climbs up, leading the way into the window the two manage to pry open. Jason rolls his eyes as he follows him into the clinic, carefully climbing through the window.

The clinic is neat and organized, unlike the neighborhood it resides in. Hanging on the wall above the door is a diploma from Gotham University belonging to Doctor Leslie Thompkins. Jason stares at it, almost longingly.

Mere months ago, Jason’s life was incredibly different and much less complicated. _Doc Thompkins has always been a caretaker for the Row_ , Jason recalls. He thinks back to several months ago when he found himself in this exact place, under very different circumstances.

Jason sat on the examination table with an open wound near his left eye, going along his cheekbones. He was, thankfully, being treated by Doctor Thompkins herself. The doctor had brown hair kept in a short bob as she worked on stitching Jason’s injury. Jason glanced across the room at his mother, meeting her crystal blue eyes, much like his own. The thin and jittery maternal figure gives him the best reaffirming smile she can.

“So, tell me again,” Thompkins said. “How did this happen, Miss Todd?”

“I- oh, well,” Catherine Todd stammered. “He-”

“I fell,” Jason quickly stated. “It was stupid of me.”

Doc Thompkins frowned as she looked over to Jason’s mother. Catherine looked back with a near unreadable look in her eyes as her foot tapped repeatedly on the floor.

“Why don’t you get some water Catherine?” Thompkins said. “I think we’re okay here.”

Without a word, Catherine stood and left the room, leaving the doctor with Jason. Doc Thompkins finished stitching Jason’s injury in silence and slowly set the tools down.

“Thanks, Doc,” Jason said with a nod. “I feel-”

“Talk to me, Jason,” she said, crossing her arms. “You know I’m not buying what you’re selling.”

“I…” Jason sighed. “My mom is using again.”

“She didn’t do this, did she?”

“No, I- I found her dealer,” Jason says, looking down at his legs. “I just…”

“It’s okay.”

“I wanted it to stop,” he snarled angrily as his knuckles turned white. “I tried to make him stop.”

“Jason,” Thompkins said, almost sounding heartbroken. “You can’t be doing this. You just need to keep your head down. Leave the vigilantism to Batman.”

Jason snaps back to the present as he forces the memory to the back of his mind. Jason locks the door before he begins to assist Jasper in looking for medicine. The two search the room for the next few minutes.

“It’s not here, Jasper,” Jason snaps quietly.

“I found _my_ stuff,” Jasper sighs. “Ma Gunn’s gonna be pissed.”

“Then help me!” Jason glares. “I need-”

Suddenly, the doorknob jiggles as someone on the other side attempts to open it. Through the door, the jingle of keys can be heard.

“Jasper,” Jason Todd says wide-eyed.

“Good luck, Todd,” Jasper says as he grabs his bag before exiting through the window.

Jason’s heart races as he looks around frantically for anything. He curses under his breath as he hears the click of the lock. Just as the door opens, Jason acts on pure instinct and shoulder checks the door and quickly locks it again. Jason winces at the sound of someone being knocked back on the other side as he darts at the locked medicine cabinet. The teenager snatches a fire extinguisher from the wall and uses it to bash the cabinet open. Jason quickly grabs some random medications before rushing out of the open window.

Still in his red hoodie soaked by rain, Jason manages to make a few blocks away before stopping to take a breath. He sits down at an old bus stop under a metal archway as traffic moves past. He glances up into the sky and spots a familiar sight: the batsignal shining in the night sky. Jason finds it laughable that even at his age, that symbol almost fills him with hope. Having caught his breath, Jason stands and returns to his trip home. _Home_ , Jason laughs at himself. _That’s a stretch._

Jason moves swiftly through Park Row, careful to avoid certain dangerous areas. He eventually reaches his destination, the entrance easily identified by a stone wall covered in moss and vines and a century old metal gate. Jason pushes past the gate and walks down the old, stone path as the rain continues to soak his clothes. He feels queasy as he looks up at the sign over the door, reading “ _Madame Gunn’s Boarding School for Wayward Boys_ ”. Swallowing his uneasiness, Jason enters the building.

The building itself looks like much of old, Old Gotham: very reminiscent of the turn of the 20th century. The inside reflects this as well with the high ceiling, old wooden panels, and the dimly lit chandelier. As Jason enters, he immediately identifies two other teenagers sitting at the base of the stairs as Cole and Ian. Cole is the oldest of Ma Gunn’s boys at 19. He’s a black kid from Park Row who stands several inches taller than Jason. The other, Ian, is a much more scrawny teen with blonde hair at the same height as Jason. However, Todd knows for a _fact_ that Ian carries a switchblade at all times.

“Todd!” Cole motions over as he stands. “Over here.”

Ian and Cole stand together, blocking the hallway leading towards Jason’s room. _Dammit, really?_ Jason thinks to himself as he walks forward. He double checks to make sure what little he managed to steal was still in his pockets, finding it is in fact still there.

“What’s up, guys?” Jason says, sporting his best fake smile.

“Where you headed, JT?” Ian asks, playing with his knife.

“Oh, it’s been a long night,” Jason shrugs. “I was gonna hit my sheets and get some sleep.”

“I don’t think so,” Cole shakes his head. “Jasper came in a few minutes ago.”

“Oh, really?” Jason says with a fake chuckle. “That’s, uh… that’s funny?”

“How is that funny?” Ian snaps.

“I- I don’t know,” Jason sighs. “Look, let’s stop beating around the bush.”

“You’re gonna go upstairs,” Cole says stepping forward. “And talk to Ma Gunn.”

“Doesn’t seem like I have too much of a choice…” Jason sighs. “Fine.”

Jason Todd, escorted by Cole and Ian, walks up the staircase all the way to the top floor. They pass a series of old, framed photographs of Ma Gunn in her younger days when the home first opened. Jason usually would find them somewhat creepy however, at the moment, he is far too busy dreading the upcoming conversation. Although, “conversation” may be giving it too much credit.

Cole and Ian follow Jason through the entrance to Ma Gunn’s office. The room is simple for the office of a crime boss with a single painting on the far wall behind an antique wooden desk. A green desk lamp sheds light on the surface of the desk that an elderly woman sits behind. She wears a thin pair of reading glasses that rest on the bridge of her nose as she looks over an old book. Without moving her head, she meets Jason’s eyes as the teen moves the hood from his head.

“Ma Gunn,” Jason nods. “It’s-”

“Madame Gunn,” the elderly woman corrects with a strictness to her voice.

“Madame Gunn,” Jason says quickly, flinching slightly.

Madame Gunn closes her book and sets it down on the table as she motions for Cole and Ian to leave. The two do as they are told without a word spoken, leaving Jason alone with the headmistress. Jason doesn’t feel much of anything except for dread as Ma Gunn approaches.

“Mister Todd,” she stares. “What happened tonight?”

“I- Jasper and I got to the clinic. I looked- I _really_ looked but the meds you needed weren’t there. Jasper refused to help. Hell, he left me there! If anyone should be scolded-”

Ma Gunn stops Jason in his tracks as she slaps him hard across the face. Jason closes his mouth as his jaw tightens and he focuses on the bookshelf behind Ma Gunn.

“You don’t even realize how lucky you are, Jason Peter Todd,” Ma Gunn sighs. “If I was anyone else, you’d be on the streets. Or worse. If you don’t learn, you _will_ die out there. Go. I don’t want to have this conversation again.”

Much like Ian and Cole, Jason leaves without a word.

Minutes later, Jason finds himself sitting on the edge of his rickety bed. The walls creak with every movement through the building. He doesn’t really remember walking to his room, however the conversation from earlier is very present in his mind as he balls his fists.

“Screw it,” he says to himself.

He carefully stands, placing his feet on an old shag carpet from the 1970s as he faces the window. He walks up to the window as he removes the meds from his hoodie, placing them on the table next to him. His eyes linger on a small capsule of a brown liquid that lies next to a pill bottle.

The day was only two months ago- the day that truly changed Jason Todd’s life. Jason unlocks the door to the apartment he and his mother were staying in. Everything inside was in pretty poor condition but it was just enough. It was all they could really afford. Jason, wearing his favorite hoodie, walked inside with a backpack slung over his shoulder. He tossed it onto the old couch.

“Hey, Mom!” Jason calls out. “I’m home!”

Jason pauses for a few moments, waiting for a response but is only met by silence. He frowns and enters his mother’s room, finding her on the floor and sitting against the wall. Jason freezes in the doorway as he sees the fresh marks and the tube tied around her arm.

Jason shakes his head and leaves the meds in his room as he carefully sneaks out through the window. He closes it behind him as quietly as he can as he climbs down the fire escape. Jason sighs once he reaches the back alley, pulling his hood over his head as he walks out towards the streets.

After a short walk, Jason reaches a convenience store only a few blocks from Ma Gunn’s. He enters the store, unseen by the distracted clerk as three men stand by the counter. Jason keeps his distance upon seeing the horrendous outfits of the men. They all wear different generic clothes, but all with one thing in common: the outfits are black and white, split down the middle.

“Why don’t you just get out of here?” the clerk says nervously. “Please, I don’t have-”

“You’ve had time!” one of the men yell. “Two-Face wants his money. Come on, let’s head out back.”

“No, no wait!” the clerk argues as the criminals drag the clerk out of the store.

There is a fleeting moment of inspiration for Jason as he watches it happen. A brief moment where he wants to step in and help. _Maybe I could grab an umbrella from the stand?_ Jason considers. _Might do a little damage. Mister Daniels doesn’t deserve this._ However, Jason only watches as the clerk is dragged away. Not only that, but Jason takes advantage of the situation. He quickly goes around the counter and snatches a bag of chips, a pack of cigarettes, and a lighter.

Jason quickly leaves the store, doing his best to tune out the sounds of Mister Daniels being beaten behind the dumpster. Jason walks through the rain, smoking as he walks. _I_ _need something_ , Jason thinks. _Something better. I know Ma Gunn will hold tonight over my head until… until I…_ Jason’s thoughts come to a halt as he stops by the old Monarch Theater. Initially, his eyes dart to a weathered street sign that has been spray painted over to say “Crime Alley”. Jason slowly looks into the alleyway itself and spots a sleek, jet black vehicle parked on its own. The cigarette in Jason’s mouth falls as his jaw drops.

“Holy…” Jason mumbles. “No. Way.”

Jason Todd runs down the alleyway, his feet splashing through puddles of rainwater as he charges at the bizarre vehicle. A million thoughts race through his head as he reaches what is undoubtedly the Batmobile. The teenage boy’s eyes go wide as he grins excitedly.


	2. Chance Encounters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Some dialogue here is lifted from Red Hood and the Outlaws: Rebirth, just because it's iconic.

Thankfully for no one but Jason, Two-Face’s Gang is still busy with Mr. Daniels by the time the teenager returns to the small corner store. Jason quickly enters the unmanned store and rushes to the back of the building, to the small hardware section. It’s there where Jason grabs the box of tools he'll need over the next few minutes. Jason leaves the store as quickly as he arrives, running as quickly as he can to return to Crime Alley before anyone else can find what he found.

Jason swiftly returns to the Batmobile, the armored vehicle still sitting untouched in the alleyway. As Jason gets to work removing the tires, he can’t help but wonder why this thing would even be here. Why would Batman come here, to Crime Alley? The exhausted and starving teenager works for several minutes to remove the tires.

Finally, as sweat and rain soaks through his hoodie, Jason manages to separate one of the tires. As he does so, there is a cough from behind him. Still on one knee from removing the tire, Jason looks back in shock. His heart races as he looks up at the tall figure in black, sporting the image of a bat on his chest. The Dark Knight himself is easily the most intimidating sight Jason has ever seen. The vigilante’s biceps must be the size of Jason’s head and the white eyes of his seemingly stare straight through the young teen.

“You _do_ realize that’s the Batmobile, right?” Batman says in a deep, gravelly voice.

“ _Duh_ ,” Jason scoffs. “You _do_ realize that you parked your car in _Crime Alley_. Right?”

Jason Todd makes a decision to act, in a sudden stroke of genius, and swings the tire iron at Batman as he stands. Moments before the tool hits Batman, he grabs the object and snatches it out of Jason’s hand. In a swift motion, Batman tosses it to the side as he lifts Jason off of the ground by the scruff of his hoodie. Jason fights and struggles to get free but is unsuccessful, resorting to scowling at Batman.

“”You want to beat up on a kid,” Jason snarls. “Go enlist in the G.C.P.D. like every other bully in this city!”

“I’m only going to ask you this once,” Batman growls, mere inches from Jason’s face. “So give some serious thought to your answer…”

“What!?”

“...are you hungry?” Batman asks with a small smirk.

Some time later, Jason finds himself sitting on the hood of the Batmobile next to Batman, overlooking all of Gotham City proper from Kane Cliffs to the North. Jason stares at the shining and sparkling city as he devours a juicy Big Belly Burger.

“Slow down, Jason,” Batman says, most of the intimidating gravel of his voice gone. “You’re going to lose a finger.”

“Sorry,” Jason says in between bites. “This is the closest thing I’ve had to a home-cooked meal since… since I had a home.”

There is a brief moment of silence as two eat together in peace. As Jason gulps down more of his soda, he glances around at his surroundings.

“Funny,” Jason says. “I was here once. Looking for Wayne Manor. Trying to case the place, but I got lost.”

“Why do you think it’s okay to steal things from people?”

“You kidding me? Look at this view,” Jason says, widely gesturing to Gotham City. “Freaking “billionaire playboy” thinks he’s king of the world. Pfft.”

“Sometimes you just have to give people a chance, Jason,” Batman says as Jason bites into his burger. “They’ll usually surprise you.”

Jason sits with that in silence, holding what is left of his burger in his hand as Batman eats his sandwich. He looks over at the black-clad hero and sighs.

“Why are you doing this?” Jason asks. “I’m nobody.”

“You are to me,” Batman says, finishing his food. “You have potential, Jason. Real potential, but not if you spend the rest of your life in Park Row.”

“Well, there…” Jason says as he finishes his food. “There isn’t much I can do about that.”

“Maybe not alone,” Batman says, looking over at the teen. “If you had an opportunity to put that anger to good use, would you? A good outlet, to focus your attention.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“What if it brought you out of the Row?”

“In a heartbeat,” Jason says in complete seriousness. “What- what are you saying?”

“I can give you a roof over your head,” Batman says firmly. “A warm meal every night and, if you want, I can teach you what I know. You can make a real difference.”

“That, uh… that’s a lot.”

“I know,” Batman states as he stands up. “I can give you two days, if you’d like. Just think about it.”

“I will, Batman. Really,” Jason says, almost beaming with excitement.

“Come on,” Batman says. “Let’s get you back.”

Jason stands as Batman presses a button on his bladed gauntlet, causing both doors to open and the headlights to flash on.

Sometime later, the Batmobile rockets through the streets of Gotham as Jason feels the adrenaline pumping through his veins. The armored vehicle slows to a silent stop in Crime Alley as Jason lets out a small sigh. He and Batman look at each other. Jason notices a batarang sitting in a bat-shaped container and instinctively takes it. Thankfully, Batman fails to notice.

“I’ll think about it, B-man,” Jason says with a small smile.

“That’s all I ask,” Batman says with a smirk. “Stay safe, Jason.”

Jason gives a genuine smile to the vigilante before exiting the vehicle, watching it as it speeds off. Finally noticing how late it is, Jason hurries back to the boarding school. Thankfully, he manages to enter the way he left and sneak back into his room. He quickly packs a small bag of the few things he owns before going to bed.

Jason is woken up suddenly by Ian, who stands over him with his switchblade in his hand. Jason freezes briefly as he spots the weapon and he tenses even more as he spots Cole and Jasper in the doorway.

“Glad you’re awake, _Jay_ ,” Ian says cockily. “Get up.”

“Get out of my room,” Jason groans.

“Get _up_ ,” Ian snaps as he attempts to pull him up.

Jason fights back and shoves Ian into the dresser behind him. Ian glares as the switchblade extends and Cole approaches Jay.

“Cole, I swear!” Jason snaps as he sits up fully.

Cole approaches and grabs at Jason but he dodges. However, Jason does not get far as Cole knocks Jason flat on his face and proceeds to drag him into the hallway.

“What the hell is your problem!?” Jason yells as he fails to free himself.

“We could ask the same,” Jasper snaps. “Come on. Madame Gunn wants to talk.”

Jason is being dragged through the halls by Cole as Ian follows and Jasper leads the way. Jason fights the entire time until he finds himself, once again, in Ma Gunn’s office. As they arrive, Ma Gunn motions for Cole to pull Jason up to his feet.

“The door, Jasper,” Ma Gunn says, looking Jason in the eyes.

As the two stare at each other, Jasper locks all of them in the room. There is a very tense silence as Ma Gunn studies Jason with the teen giving a glare back in return.

“Where were you, Mister Todd?”

“In my room, Madame Gunn,” Jason replies. “All night.”

“Mister Hart claims otherwise,” the headmistress states.

Jason looks over to Jasper who won’t meet Jason’s eyes. Jason scowls as he looks back to Ma Gunn.

“So,” Ma Gunn says in an eerily calm voice. “Where were you?”

“I was out,” Jason says. “I was casing a place. I wanted- I _want_ to make it up to you. I messed up yesterday.”

“If that were true…” Ma Gunn says as she approaches a small table. “You wouldn't be planning to run.”

As she speaks, she gestures over to Jason’s packed bag on the table. Jason goes wide eyed as he tries to think of how she could have found it. After all, Jason put it in his hiding place in his room.

“You aren’t leaving us, Jason,” Ma Gunn states. “You owe a debt. You owe _me_ and you will learn your place. Today. Go on.”

Suddenly, Cole shoves Jason to the ground in the middle of the group as he and Ian beat on him as he’s on the ground. Jason raises his arms in defense, briefly spotting Jasper standing by the door and Ma Gunn shaking her head. Jason yells in pain as Cole slams his fist hard into Jason’s face. As he rolls onto his side in pain, he hears a metallic clank on the floor. Upon investigation, Jason spots the folded batarang he stole that apparently has fallen out of his pocket. As Jason looks at it, he receives hit after hit and those words from the night before replay in his head.

“ _I’m nobody_ ,” Jason had said.

“ _You are to me_ ,” Batman told him. “ _You have potential, Jason. Real potential, but not if you spend the rest of your life in Park Row._ ”

Jason feels a sharp spike of pain as he feels a switchblade enter his leg. However, he manages to block out the pain as he grabs the folded batarang, quickly flipping it open. He grips one end of it, one of the points digging into his palm.

“ _If you had an opportunity to put that anger to good use, would you?_ ”

As the kind voice of the Dark Knight echoes in his head, Jason acts. As Cole attacks Jason once again, Jason very quickly slashes with the batarang, the bladed edge cutting across Cole’s stomach and making him fall back in pain. Before Ian can really react, Jason raises to one knee and punches him hard in the throat. Jason, with blood rushing down his face, looks to Ma Gunn as she runs for the gun under her desk. He looks back to Jasper and scowls before unlocking the door and running out as fast as he can.

Jason runs for as long as he possibly can before stumbling and falling onto the sidewalk. His head spins as he feels the blood soaking his clothes and bleeding through onto the sidewalk. The teenager slowly pulls himself up using the brick wall next to him. Jason bites his lip hard enough to make it bleed as he kneels, feeling the pain fully as the adrenaline subsides. He looks around him, finding people on the opposite side of the street just ignoring him.

“Same old, Row...” Jason winces.

Thankfully for the teenager, in the midday sun he can easily see Doctor Thompkins’ clinic only two blocks away. He makes for the entrance as fast as he can and, upon seeing his condition, one of the orderlies brings him to Doc Thompkins’ office.

“Doctor Thompkins?” the orderly says with a slight panic.

The middle-aged doctor turns around from facing her broken medicine cabinet and her eyes zero in on Jason.

“We have-” the orderly begins.

“Jason Todd?”

“Hey Doc,” Jason says, holding his side.

“I’ll help you to the table,” she says. “Nathaniel, I need some fresh gauze and disinfectant.”

At that, the orderly leaves as Leslie Thompkins gets to work.

Jason honestly lost track of how much time he spent there but a quick glance out of the window told him that the sun has gone down. Eventually, Jason was moved to a different room where, around 7 PM, Doctor Thompkins came to see him.

She sits on the edge of the cot Jason rests on, giving him a small smile. Jason, with his face stitched up in a few places, manages a smile in return.

“How are you feeling, Jason?”

“Better, Doc,” Jason sighs. “Thank you, again.”

“I, um…” she sighs. “I haven’t seen you since you were here with your mother.”

“Yeah,” Jason says dryly.

“My condolences. Honestly.”

“Thank you, Doc. I appreciate it.”

“Where have you been since then? And what happened to you?”

“It’s the same answer for both,” Jason says sitting up. “Ma Gunn.”

“God,” Leslie scowls. “Faye Gunn is a self proclaimed messiah, but she’s a devil. You’ve been at her “school”?”

“Yeah, I have,” he says. “But I’m getting out soon. I hope.”

“Good.”

Jason looks over at her with a furrowed brow, prompting the caring doctor to chuckle.

“Don’t get me wrong,” she smiles. “I’d love to keep seeing you around. However, this place… it’s broken, Jason. I know you. You’ll make it out there. Just leave the Row in the rear view.”

“I’ll try, Doc. Am I clear to leave?”

“That depends on where you’re headed.”

“I think I’ll camp out at my parents’ old place.”

“Just be careful and watch that leg.”

Jason nods and says his goodbyes before venturing off into the night, returning to his old childhood home. Jason finds himself smiling as he counts down the minutes to meeting Batman again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Thank you if you made it this far! Any constructive criticism and feedback is welcome!


	3. Red Hot

For the first time in months, Jason Todd returns home- a small, dingy apartment in a complex full of addicts and dealers. He suffers through an uncomfortable night of sleep on a mattress older than himself. The next morning, with a stiff back and sore muscles, Jason gets a cold shower before heading out.

Keeping his hood over his head, Jason walks to the nearby convenience store. Maintaining his distance from others, Jason reaches the store and walks inside. Jason glances over at Mister Daniels’ son behind the register, who gives a slight nod to Jason. Henry is fairly older than Jason- at least in his twenties- and looks like a copy of his father. Jason grabs a loaf of bread, some lunch meat, and some soda before approaching the cashier.

“Ouch,” Henry Daniels states as he scans Jason’s items. “What happened to you, Jay?”

“Got in a scrap at Ma Gunn’s,” Jason shrugs. “No big deal. Where- uh… where’s your dad?”

“Oh, uh,” Henry sighs. “Two-Face’s thugs paid him a visit. He’s trying to rest at home. It’s a miracle he’s alive.”   
“I, uh…” Jason stammers as he pays with what little money he owns. “I’m really sorry, Hank.”

“It’s not your fault, Jason. The whole Row is getting worse by the day. Stay safe out there.”

“Yeah, you too.”

Jason thinks back on the past 24 hours, cringing all the while. His life in the past few months- years even- has been Hell on Earth. His father is gone, his mother is dead, and Ma Gunn is nothing but manipulative and cruel. Jasper… Jasper betrayed him. So did their so-called friends.  _ Everyone _ Jason has met has either left him, been only out for themselves, or both.

“Why should Batman be any different?” Jason scowls to himself. “Just some creep in a batsuit. I mean… he seemed sincere, but-”

Jason freezes, bag of groceries still in hand, as he spots a figure from across the street. Wearing an old beanie, and now sporting a fresh cut across his cheek and a black eye, is Jasper Hart.

“Stay there, Jason!” Jasper snaps.

Without speaking a word in return, Jason turns and runs. Jason beats himself up as he hears Jasper’s approaching footsteps, his leg wound burning as he runs.  _ I should stay and fight! How dare he screw me over like this! _ However, he fights against his base urges. Jason turns and runs into an alleyway but stops upon realizing it’s a dead end. Suddenly, Jason’s bag is knocked out of his hand as he is tackled to the ground from behind. Jason groans as he collides with the ground, Jasper trying to pin him down.

“Stop fighting, Jason!” Jasper barks in his ear. “Just come back with us- with me! Ma Gunn will forgive-!”

“Oh, shut up!” Jason growls as he gets an arm free, elbowing Jasper hard in the face.

This allows Jason to get free and knock Jasper off of him. The two boys scramble to their feet as they face off against each other.

“What is wrong with you?” Jasper questions. “We had… something. We were thriving in Ma Gunn’s protection.”

“Protection?” Jason snaps. “We’re basically slaves! Child soldiers!”

“Where would we be otherwise, Jay?!” Jasper screams. “We’d join up with Two-Face or Black Mask or the Penguin. This is our best chance to survive.”

“I don’t want to survive,” Jason snaps. “I want to get out.”

Jasper runs at Jason and the two fight. Jasper fights dirty and trips Jason, knocking him to the ground. However, as Jasper grabs Jason by his hoodie, Jason grabs a pipe from the ground and swings, clocking Jasper in the head and knocking him out cold. Jason remains on the ground in shock for a few moments, some stray tears mixing with blood on his face. Jason wipes his face as he stands and grabs his bag.  _ Like I said… you can’t rely on anyone. _

A few minutes later, Jason manages to limp the few blocks it takes to get to his current place. He lets out a sigh of relief as he rounds the corner and puts the apartment in his sights. As he gets closer, however, Jason stops, pretending to tie his shoes by the bus stop a block from his apartment building. He notices, standing outside the only entrance to the complex, are three figures in suits. The suits aren’t identical to each other and, honestly, they look as if they could be realtors looking at Park Row like a shark studies an injured sea lion. Although, upon a second glance, the men are clearly all wearing identical red masks. The masks cover their faces completely, offering no glimpse at their identities.

“What the Hell?” Jason curses under his breath. “The Red Hood Gang? Here?”

The fourteen year old takes a few moments to come up with a plan as he observes the men. They seem to just be hanging out and talking but one of them keeps looking around while on his phone. Jason looks over to the building next door- an old office building. The place hasn’t been used since Jason was a kid…

Jason doubles back and takes the long way around, approaching from the West side of the apartments. However, he does not attempt to sneak past the gangsters. Instead, he approaches the offices. After glancing around, he breaks the glass of the front doors and carefully slips through the opening. Inside, the place is a mess from the dozens of squatters who have lived here since the early 2000s.  _ Here’s hoping I’m the only squatter today… _

Jason travels up the concrete staircases until he reaches what he assumes used to be an executive office. The room has a long abandoned mattress, a few loose sheets of paper that must have been forgotten by the original owners, and a folding chair facing the windows, looking out at the street. Jason enters the room, setting his food down on the plastic table next to the chair as he takes off his red hoodie. Underneath, Jason wears a grey, long sleeve shirt that has a few holes in the sides- revealing a light undershirt. Jason hangs his hoodie on the back of the chair before sitting down and making a sandwich.  _ I’ll just have to wait them out _ , Jason thinks.  _ I can’t get into a fight with those guys. Not now. _

After lunch, Jason keeps a watchful eye on the street below. However, after a few hours, he grows bored and tired of it. The teen hesitates but lays down for a nap in the old mattress, not waking until hours later. Jason stands, attempting to stretch out the kink in his neck, and groans. He walks over to the chair and picks up his hoodie as he looks outside.

The sun has only recently gone down and the Red Hood Gang, like the sunlight, seems to have left. Jason throws his hoodie back on and grabs his food before leaving the building as quickly as he can. Jason enters his apartment building without any obstacles and begins to climb the stairs. Halfway to Jason’s old apartment, he sees a familiar face staring into the void as they sit on the steps. The man is a very gaunt and sick looking thirty-something. The track marks on his arms appear uncomfortably fresh.

“Hey, Donnie,” Jason greets carefully.

“Ah?” Donnie says with a glazed look in his eyes. “You… y- you’re Willis’ kid, right? An’ Cathy’s?”

“That’s me,” Jason says. “Jason.”

“That’s… that’s right,” Donnie says slowly. “How’re yafolks?”

“They’re… they’re fine, Donnie,” Jason shrugs. “Look, I know you’re kind of… gone,but did you happen to see the gangsters that were outside?”

“G- gang…”

“The Red Hoods,” Jason says quickly. “Any idea what they wanted?”

“Ah, prob’y shakin’ som’one down…”

Jason winces and nods as he looks to the red haired man before moving on.

He walks down the hall after reaching the next story, reaching his apartment at the far end. He opens the door and lets his shoulders untense as he enters his sanctuary. He plops down on the old couch, closing his eyes as he lays his head back. Jason spends the next few hours waiting impatiently until he can talk to Batman.  _ I guess I’ll meet him back in Crime Alley? Or will he find me? That guy didn’t exactly plan a time and place… _ Eventually, a heavily exhausted Jason Todd fell asleep on the couch, his mind lingering on the Caped Crusader.

Late in the night, Jason’s sleep is terribly interrupted as he is startled by the sound of wood breaking and being splintered. In a start, Jason rolls off of the couch and snaps over it at the door. The entrance has been broken open by the lead figure in the doorway. Three individuals stand at the entry, the two in the back being members of the Red Hood Gang. However, the man in front is very different. He wears a grey, armored suit with two, folded metallic wings on the back. The figure carries a strange looking gun as he studies Jason behind the bug-like visor on his helmet.

“Who the Hell are you?” Jason snaps. “What do you want?”

“Well,” the figure laughs. “We just came to invite you to the barbecue!”

Jason reacts much more quickly than he thought possible as he feels the growing heat as he spots heat waves emanating from the strange gun. Jason turns and leaps behind the old table, quickly knocking it on it’s side as the apartment is engulfed in a roaring inferno.

Jason winces as the flames begin to surround him, approaching ever closer as he hears muffled shouting.  _ Fight. Survive. _ Jason begins to hyperventilate.  _ I am  _ **_not_ ** _ dying in Park Row! _ Jason very quickly jumps to his feet and jumps out of the window very impulsively. The shattering glass makes small cuts at his skin as he crashes through. Jason very thankfully grabs on to the fire escape after his ribs clash with the metal.

“Where’d the twerp go?” a voice comes from the inside of the burning building.

“Get outside and find him,” the voice of the flame-wielding man growls. “I’ll take to the skies.  _ After _ I burn the rest of this dump to the ground!”

“Copy that, Firefly!”

_ I need to move fast _ , Jason thinks rapidly.  _ I need to go! _ Jason attempts to climb down the fire escape but, as he does, one of the bars breaks and the teenager goes wide eyed. Before Jason can even attempt to climb back up, the ladder breaks off from the fire escape and Jason plummets towards the ground. The last he sees before blacking out is a closed dumpster.

He’s not entirely sure how long he was out, but when Jason wakes up he is not having a good time. He wakes up on the asphalt in a puddle of rain and blood. Jason winces as he touches a reopened wound on his head. The teen’s head pounds as he rolls over onto his back, looking up at the night sky. As his vision reorients and the muffled sounds become clearer and clearer, Jason gets a better grasp on the situation.

Shining into the cloudy sky is the batsignal, projected from the opposite side of Gotham City. Jason’s head spins as he sits up, hearing the various sirens from Gotham’s emergency services. He stands, putting a hand against the wall and stumbles out into the street. Jason looks up into the sky and, flying out from the other side of the buildings, is Firefly.

“Burn, burn, burn!” Firefly laughs as he flies at Jason, gun raised. “Fry like a-”

Suddenly, Firefly is intercepted by a caped figure. The Dark Knight exits a glide from above and kicks Firefly hard enough in the face to shatter his visor. The winged arsonist slams into the brick walls of the fourth story. Batman grapples onto Firefly, breaking off one of his wings before being thrown off. However, the vigilante fires his grappling gun and manages to stay in the air as Firefly loses control.

“You’ll be reduced to ash, Batman!” Firefly screams.

Jason realizes too late that the blood-pumping battle above his head has distracted him as he spots four Red Hoods headed his way, armed with handguns. As a G.C.P.D. squad car rolls up, Jason runs for his life- more afraid than he’s ever been. The gunshots from behind him are deafening as he cuts through an alleyway. Jason quickly rounds the corner and clumsily trips over loose trash. Jason Todd freezes after he rolls over and looks up at the Red Hood that stands over him. Jason becomes truly paralyzed with fear as he looks at the emotionless red hood covering the gunman’s face.

“I don’t want to die!” Jason barely shouts as a gunshot rings out.

Jason looks down at his body, looking for a bullet wound as his ears are filled with a deafening ring. Unable to hear much of anything, Jason looks up at the masked criminal who drops his gun and falls back. The last thing Jason sees before losing consciousness once again is a uniformed, Hispanic officer of the G.C.P.D.


	4. Trapped Like a Bat

Jason very groggily wakes up in an oddly comfortable bed, wincing at the bright lights. Jason looks around, finding himself in a white room lined with high-grade medical supplies and gear. He glances over to the door as he attempts to sit up, seeing a uniformed officer- the same one from the alleyway- standing guard.

“Easy, kid,” she says. “Relax.”

“Am…” Jason groans. “Where am I?”   
“Gotham Central,” she says. “You were pretty beat up out there.”

“You… you were the one in the alley, weren;t you?”

“That’s right,” she says with a small smile. “That was a rough situation.”

“Well, thanks,” Jason says as he reads her badge. “Officer Montoya.”

“What’s your name?” she asks as a doctor comes in. “You know mine.”

“Jason,” the teenager says as the doctor picks up a clipboard. “Jason Todd.”

“Alright, Mister Todd,” the doctor says. “We need to make sure you’re fit to leave and then you’ll need to go with the officer here.”

“I-” Jason stammers. “Am I under arrest?”

“No,” Montoya states. “However, the lead detective on the case needs to question you as soon as you’re able.”

Jason silently agrees and allows the doctor to work.

Jason remains in the hospital for some time. However, eventually, he is cleared and leaves the hospital with a few new stitches and bruises. Jason follows Officer Montoya to her squad car and sits in the front seat with her.

“So, where are your parents, kid?” Montoya asks as she drives. “We’ll give them a call when we get to the precinct.”   
“Mom’s at Gotham Memorial,” Jason says as he crosses his arms. “And Dad is at Blackgate Penitentiary. So… I wouldn’t bother.”

“Oh, I…” she says with a frown. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Jason says as he looks out the window.

Jason looks out the window as the patrol car drives through Upper Gotham Proper. This district is very,  _ very _ different from Park Row. Opposed to the old and dilapidated neighborhood he’s grown to call home, U.G.P. is very well organized and is populated by towering, modern skyscrapers. The teenager stares off into nothing as they pass through Robinson Park.

Jason remembers the night things changed very vividly as, very briefly, it was the best day of his life. A ten year old Jason walked through the dark parking lot, holding the hands of his parents. His mother looked much healthier than Jason’s more recently memories of her, her hair kept neatly in a high bun. Jason’s father, on the other hand, stood over six feet and had the same shining blue eyes as Jason. However, Willis Todd’s hair was an auburn red. The man had a bit of a dad-bod and wore blue flannel over a grey shirt and blue jeans. The family walked together towards a large archway that read “Haly’s Circus”.

“You excited, kid?” Willis smiled down at Jason.

“Totally!” Jason happily chirped.

“How did you even get these tickets, Willis?” Catherine said, her smile fading. “Wasn’t it sold out?”

“The Jacksons had some,” Willis shrugged. “And they gave them up. It’s not import-”

“Willis!” Catherine scolded.

“Relax, Cat,” Willis said as Jason looks between his parents with a frown. “It’s for Jay, isn’t it?”

The Todds easily entered the tent, taking their seats shortly before the show started. The ringmaster, C.C. Haly himself introduced the show and thanks the audience for their attendance. Jason watched with a childlike excitement as the various acts rolled through: a bearded lady, a strong man, a pair of performing bengal tigers, a daredevil jumping through flaming hoops, a belly dancer on the back of an elephant, and finally, a trio of acrobats.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Haly called out. “Boys and girls! Brace yourselves and hold onto your seats! Those of you who are on the squeamish side, shield your eyes if you must. Behind me, the death defying  _ Flying Graysons _ will display their amazing net-less antics high above the ground- a first ever performance here in Gotham!”

Just as Haly explained, the spotlights shone high up on the wooden platforms as the acrobats performed. The two adults flipped across the trapeze, tossing the younger boy dressed in the same yellow, red, and green outfit. Jason watched in absolute amazement at the beautiful spectacle.

“Hey, kid,” a disembodied voice says. “We’re here.”

Jason snaps out of it, returning to the present inside the patrol car. He looks at Montoya, the owner of the voice, before realizing that they sit outside the G.C.P.D. HQ. Jason lets out a shaky breath before stepping out with Officer Montoya, walking towards the entrance. Many of Jason’s baser instincts tell him to run. His instincts tell him that this is wrong- that he’s walking into the lion’s den. However, Jason shoves it all down and continues up the concrete steps.

The teenager follows the officer into the precinct, finding the bullpen filled with stressed looking cops. An overweight man in a fedora approaches Jason and Montoya, making Jason tense.

“Detective Bullock, this is the kid,” Montoya states.

“Ah, how’re you feeling, Squirt?” Bullock asks.

“I’m… fine, Detective,” Jason says as he crosses his arms.

“Bring him to Interview Room C,” Bullock says. “Good work tonight, Renee.”

“Thanks, Harvey,” Montoya smiles. “Come on Jason. Just relax, okay?”

“I’m not in trouble?” Jason asks. “You have to tell me. Legally.”

“You’re the witness here, Jason,” Renee laughs as she walks him into the small room.

Jason stands in the middle of the small room, looking around. A metallic table sits in the center with a chair on either side. A camera blinks in the corner of the room near the one-way mirror.

“The detective will be in soon,” Montoya says. “Just sit tight, kid.”

Jason takes a breath as he sits down behind the table. He looks at his own reflection in the glass with a sigh.

After a fantastic night at the circus, Jasona nd his family returned home. Even at that point, Park Row was dangerously unsafe after dark. However, this is something that didn’t bother the young boy for the moment. Jason recalls jumping around on the couch and his bed, imagining what it must have been like for those acrobats. To feel the wind on their faces! The adrenaline in their veins! It was spectacular.

The Todds sat together for a quick family dinner at their table, digging into the Chinese takeout they picked up on the way home. As they ate, the trio discussed their favorite parts. Catherine loved the elephant and belly dancer, Willis enjoyed the strongman, and Jason, obviously, loved the Flying Graysons. Unfortunately, this wholesome moment of family bonding had to come to an abrupt end.

Willis stood very quickly as loud bangs echoed from the other side of their door. Jason, startled and confused, looked up to his father.

“G.C.P.D.!” a voice shouted as the wooden door was forced open.

Several police officers stormed inside, all wearing bulletproof vests and aiming their firearms at the Todds’ patriarch.

“Step away, ma’am!” an officer shouted at Catherine as she pulled Jason to the side.

“Hands up!” the lead officer, a mustached man with red hair, barked.

“What the hell is going on here?” Willis questioned angrily as he raised his hands.

“Willis Todd,” the head officer stated as he manhandled Willis, putting his arms behind his back and cuffing him. “You are under arrest for the murder of D.A. Gene Manning.”

“Murder??” Willis said as he struggled, knocking the man back. “I didn’t kill anyone! Cat, Jay- this isn’t-”

“Dad!” Jason called out.   
  


Another officer interrupted as they slammed Willis to the ground.

“Yeah?” the mustached man said. “Your boss sold ya out, Todd. Guess the Joker doesn’t believe in loyalty.”

“I don’t work for that freak!” Willis cries out. “Let me go! I didn’t do this! Please!”

Jason shoves the memory deep into his mind as he hears the door being unlocked. He quickly wipes some tears from his eyes as a man walks in. This man is far too familiar to Jason, as he sports the same ugly facial hair he had when he arrested Jason’s father. The detective is also practically a celebrity for advocating for Batman on the news- Commissioner Gordon. Gordon practically looks the same as he did four years ago, albeit with a few hints of grey in his hair.

“Good evening, Jason,” Gordon says as he sits across from the teen, laying a file on the table.

“What’s that?” Jason asks as he leans back in his chair. “A list of corrupt cops? It should be a bit thicker.”

“It’s what we have on you, actually,” Gordon says calmly.

Jason swallows hard as Gordon flips through the information. The room is silent for the next minute or so, aside from Jason’s nervous foot tapping on the tile.

“Aggravated assault, theft of property, possession of a controlled substance…” Gordon lists. “You were in juvie for a month.”

“A month where my mother was sick and dying,” Jason retorts. “Dad wasn’t around to support her so… I did what I had to.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Gordon says in sincerity.

“Sure you are,” Jason sighs.

“Excuse me?”

“The only difference between you guys and Two-Face’s Thugs is that you have a badge.”

“I’d watch your tone, young man.”

“Or what? You’ll arrest me?”

“I just need you to cooperate, son,” Gordon sighs. “Why were these men trying to kill you?”

“What men?”

“The Red Hoods,” Gordon sighs. “We have a few in custody- none of them are talking.”

“I couldn’t tell you, Gordo,” Jason lies through his teeth. “I- I don’t know.”   
  


As Gordon begins to lecture, Jason becomes lost in his own thoughts. Should he tell Gordon that the Red Hoods were  _ probably _ hired by Ma Gunn? Probably. However, if Ma Gunn is taken down, what happens to the other kids? Cole, Ian, Jasper… all the others?  _ As much as Jasper has been infuriating me… _ Jason thinks.  _ He’s right. Without Ma Gunn, we would be working for someone much, much worse. I can’t sell them out. _

“...and all we ask is you cooperate,” Gordon winds down, frustrated. “Do you understand me, Todd?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Good. So, why did you have a batarang on you?”

Gordon holds up an evidence baggie containing the batarang Jason stole from Batman- still dotted with dried blood.

“It’s a fake.”

“It’s a fake?”

“Yeah, it’s plastic,” Jason shrugs. “Thought it looked cool.”

“Do I look like an idiot to you?”

“Kind of.”

“Listen to me, you-”

The commissioner is cut off as the door is opened and the lock buzzes. Both Jason and Jim Gordon look to the doorway and spot Detective Harvey Bullock standing there.

“Commish,” Harvey says with a confused look on his face.

“Harv, I’m in the middle of-”

“Todd’s guardian is here,” Harvey says. “They said they’ll sue if the kid isn’t released if he’s not being charged.”   
“Guardian?” Jason and Jim say in unison.

“Who is it?” Gordon asks. “There’s no guardian in our paperwork.”

“It’s Wayne, Jim,” Bullock says. “ _ Bruce _ Wayne.”

Jason Todd and Jim Gordon, both with an equally shocked and confused look on their faces, stand from the metallic table.

Jason follows Gordon and Bullock through the bullpen, up the winding staircase and to Gordon’s office. As they enter, an older man stands from one of the seats facing Gordon’s desk. The man wears a black, three piece suit and has thinning black hair that has long since begun to grey.

“Commissioner Gordon,” the man says with a British accent. “Excellent to see you. And you, Master Jason.”

“Pennyworth?” Gordon says. “Where’s Wayne?”

“Waiting outside, sir,” Pennyworth states. “Is Master Jason here being charged with anything? If not, I demand he be released to the care of Master Bruce and myself. Master Jason  _ is _ , in fact, Master Bruce’s ward. He has been for some time.”

“We don’t have any evidence of-”

“We suspected as much,” Pennyworth states, pulling several papers out of his coat. “Which is why Master Bruce had me deliver these.”

Jason looks at Pennyworth, incredibly confused at the entire thing.  _ Yeah, definitely a weird day _ , Jason thinks as Gordon looks over the paperwork.  _ Who even is this dude? What’s Benedict Cumberbatch doing in Gotham City? _ Gordon looks to Jason, who looks right back at the taller man.

“Is this true?” he asks. “You’re Wayne’s ward?”

“I…” Jason says as he glances to Pennyworth. “Yeah, obviously. Brucie and I are besties.”

“Well, I suppose so…” Gordon sighs. “If you think of anything else, Todd, please bring it to our attention. And stay out of trouble. Say hello to Bruce for me, Alfred.”

“Gotcha, Jimmy,” Jason says as he flashes a peace sign.

After signing some paperwork, Jason and Pennyworth walk out of the precinct and begin down the concrete steps. Jason looks over to the poise British man.

“It’s Pennyman, right?” Jason asks.

“Pennyworth, actually,” the man replies. “Alfred Pennyworth.”

“Sure,” Jason shrugs. “What’s really going on here? Why are you helping me?”

“As I’ve said, I do work for Mister Wayne,” Alfred states. “All I ask is you come with me and hear him out.”

Jason doesn’t reply but continues to follow, wishing to see this through to the end.  _ Curiosity is what killed the cat, right? Good thing I’m not a- _ The teen’s thoughts are immediately scrambled as he sees the black, luxurious town car parked out front. Alfred leads him to the vehicle and opens the back passenger door, allowing Jason to get in.

As Jason reluctantly sits down, Alfred sits in the driver’s seat. Jason looks across from him and spots an instantly recognizable man- Bruce Wayne. The older man is devilishly handsome with a strong jawline and shining blue eyes. He smiles at Jason, his teeth as white as the shirt of his three piece suit.

“You- you’re…”

“Bruce Wayne, yes,” the billionaire smirks. “And you’re Jason Todd.”

“How do you know who I am?” Jason asks as the car begins to move. “Why am I here? How did you know I was in the precinct?”   
“Well, we’ve spoken before, Jason,” Bruce says. “I know you barely made it out of Park Row and I’m really glad you’re okay.”

“I- thanks,” Jason says confused. “But, how? The precinct-?”   
“You didn’t think I had trackers in my batarangs?”

“I- I don’t understand.”   
“I’m Batman,” Bruce states very matter of factly.

“No you’re not,” Jason laughs. “You’re-”

Before Jason could finish that thought, Bruce Wayne raises his hand up to his face and blocks his nose and above.

“Oh my God,” Jason says wide eyed. “Batman.”

“So,” Bruce chuckles. “What do you say? Partners?”

“Obviously,” Jason says with a massive grin.


	5. Birds of a Feather...

Wayne Manor is one of the most elegant buildings Jason had ever seen. When he first arrives, Jason couldn’t help but stare at the nearly-vacant building in awe. His first few days in his new home are mostly spent exploring. Alfred brings Jason on a tour of the halls, giving a brief lesson on each and every piece of art. Eventually, they reach the den where they find an elegant sitting area in front of a cold fireplace. Jason reaches for a wooden globe that, most likely, holds liquor but his hand is slapped away by Alfred.

“Alfred,” Jason groans. “Loosen up.”

“Those contents are nearly as old as this house, Master Jason,” Alfred informs. “They are quite expensive. Besides, you are only  _ fourteen _ .”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jason sighs. “I get-”   
  


Jason trails off as he looks above the fireplace, seeing an old painting of a nice family. A tall mustached man, a beautiful woman wearing pearls, and a young child with jet black hair.

“That’s them?”

“Yes,” Alfred says with a light sigh. “Thomas and Martha Wayne. It was truly a tragedy…”

“They were just your bosses though, weren’t they?”   
“They were ‘just my bosses’ in the same way that Master Bruce is my boss,” Alfred says, looking down to the teenager. “The Wayne's gave me a chance here. A purpose. They were my family.”

“Oh, I… I’m sorry, Alfred,” Jason says rubbing his arms. “I…”

“It’s quite alright,” Alfred says with a small smile. “You didn’t know.”

After his art tour around the manor, Jason follows Bruce and Alfred to the library and the study. Bruce has since changed into something less formal, dark jeans and a black turtleneck. Jason looks around curiously as they enter the study. The study is small and quaint, the sturdy mahogany desk taking up a good portion of the room. Jason picks up a picture frame containing a photo of Bruce and a handsome teenage boy at a gala. The boy has short black hair and blue eyes, much like Bruce.

“Who’s this?” Jason asks.

“That would be Master Grayson,” Alfred says. “He moved to Bludhaven only a few months ago.”

“Grayson?” Jason says curiously.

“You would know him better as Robin,” Bruce says.

“ _ Robin _ ??” Jason says wide eyed. “Can I meet him?”

Bruce and Alfred share a look as Bruce approaches the grandfather clock. Bruce turns back to the clock without a word.

“Perhaps when he is in town, Master Jason,” Alfred says as Bruce opens the glass front of the grandfather clock.

“What’s up, Bruce?” Jason asks. “It doesn’t  _ look _ broken.”   
“Far from it, Jason,” Bruce says simply.

The billionaire adjusts the hands of the clock, making the current time be set at 10:47. Jason watches with curiosity flickering behind his eyes as Bruce presses a hidden button on the right side of the clock. Suddenly, the clock moves to the side, revealing an entryway that leads to a descending staircase.

“Holy… hidden entrances... Batman…” Jason mumbles.

“You can come with us if you never say that again,” Bruce says simply.

“Cross my heart…” Jason smirks.

The trio descend the staircase as the entrance seals behind them. As they walk, more lights snap on with every step. The three round the corner as much of the massive cave is lit up, each of the large circular platforms illuminated. As the lights switch on, the bats hanging from the ceiling squeak and fly off. Jason looks around, mesmerized as they pass a giant and animatronic t-rex. Across the room, a giant penny sits on a pedestal alongside a hanging giant playing card.

“What’s with the giant… stuff?”

“Trophies, Jason,” Bruce says.

“Batman doesn’t seem like the type to keep mementos.”

“He’s not,” Bruce says. “But I am. All of these are from early on in my crusade. I kept them to remember.”

“Remember what?”

“Early mistakes. Early defeats,” Bruce says as they step onto the main platform. “You need to remember failures while being able to move on from them.”

Jason looks around in amazement, his attention first going to the large computer with the bat-shaped monitor in the center of the cave. Bruce sits down in front of the large monitor, typing code into the keyboard. 

“Oh, Master Bruce,” Alfred states. “Mister Fox came by while you were at the tower. He managed to install the appropriate upgrades to the Batcomputer.”

“Remind me to thank him, Alfred,” Bruce nods as a map of Gotham City is displayed on screen.

Jason walks to the edge of the platform,spotting a larger circular platform near the waterfall on the far side of the cave that hosts the Batmobile. Hanging above an empty platform by large, mechanical hands is a bat-shaped jet.

Jason walks up to the two opaque cylinders near the large batcomputer, staring up at one as he places a hand on the keypad. As he does, the cylinder becomes clear, revealing the batsuit. Jason steps away as the glass returns to its opacity, approaching the capsule next to it. Like before, he places his hand on the pad and the cylinder becomes clear, revealing an unclothed mannequin. Jason frowns, confused at the sight. However, he pushes it aside as he approaches Bruce. Jason grins excitedly, prepared for whatever the future may hold.

For the next several months, Jason would learn everything there was to know about… everything. Jason spends many, many long hours with Bruce learning about physics, chemistry, criminology, psychology, strategy, forensics, and anything that he would need in the future.

Jason finds himself standing in the lab next to an older black man with graying hair, Lucius Fox. Jason uses a small welding tool to patch up some damages on an unpainted, reinforced chest plate.

“Careful now, son,” Lucius says, crossing his arms. “Add too much pressure and you could rupture the suit’s integrity.”

“I don’t see why this is that important, Lucius,” Jason says as he wipes sweat from his forehead. “Couldn’t you just fix the suits if they get damaged enough?”

“As much as I would love to continue to pick up after the Waynes well into my retirement…” Lucius chuckles. “I have other responsibilities and you may need a quick fix. For example, during a battle with Sinestro, Mister Wayne’s compatriot Superman used his super-focused heat beams to seal a gap in the batsuit. It saved his life.”

“And since I don’t have heat vision, we’ll need this thing,” Jason says, holding up the palm sized device. “A bat-welder?”   
“Well it is a prototype miniature ionized fusion device,” Lucius smiles. “But bat-welder works, I suppose.”

At another point, Jason sits behind the monitor of the batcomputer, watching dozens of security feeds from around Gotham City. One of them displays Batman battling Calendar Man and his Independence Day themed drones. Jason quickly pulls up another feed of a group of G.C.P.D. squad cars speeding down the streets.

“Batman, the pigs are inbound on Hamilton Avenue,” Jason reports calmly.

“Jason…” Batman scolds as he smashes two drones together.

“Sorry…” Jason groans. “Gotham’s Finest is inbound. More like Gotham’s Finest pieces of-”

“Master Jason, perhaps we should focus?” Alfred suggests, placing a hand on the teen’s shoulder.

“Right, you-” Jason pauses. “Batman! Rocket drone on your six!”

Batman quickly turns and throws a batarang, destroying a drone before it could fire a firework-like rocket. 

“No, no, no!” the bald villain shouts. “You’ve cheated, Batman! Time answers to no man! You-!”

Batman grabs Calendar Man with his batrope and yanks him towards him. As Calendar Man stumbles, the Caped Crusader clocks him hard enough to knock him out before he hits the ground.

“Good call on the rocket, Jay,” Batman says as the G.C.P.D. arrives.

“Ah, just doing my job, B-man,” Jason says, leaning back with his arms behind his head. “Next time though, you should say a cool one-liner. ‘See you next year!’ or ‘I’ll send you a Christmas Card- in  _ Arkham _ .” or-”

“I’m not the Flash,” Batman says. “I don’t make quips.”

“Well, you should,” Jason says as he crosses his arms.

Aside from the mental expertise, Jason also learns to fight. How to  _ really _ fight. That being said, Bruce Wayne is nothing if not a multitasker. Jason and Bruce face off in the training ring on the platform below the batcomputer. Bruce performs a flying kick at Jason, who manages to dodge and roll to the side.

“Jonathan Crane!” Bruce says as he faces his ward.

“Scarecrow!”

“Roman Sionis!” Bruce says as they both charge.

“Black Mask!” Jason shouts, sliding between Bruce’s legs.

“Selina Kyle,” Bruce growls as he grabs Jason by the shirt, stopping him from leaving his grasp.

“Your girlfriend!” Jason snaps, prying Bruce’s grip loose.

Before Jason can recover, Bruce pins Jason to the ground by forcing his foot down on Jason’s chest.

“Alright, alright!” Jason groans, tapping out.

“The Joker wouldn’t let you surrender,” Bruce says, increasing the pressure. “Or Freeze, Deathstroke, Ivy, or-”   
“I get it!” Jason growls, kicking Bruce hard from behind. “Get… off!”

Jason manages to free himself and stands before attacking Bruce. Bruce blocks every attack, only infuriating Jason.

“Relax, Jay,” Bruce glares. “You need-”

“Shut up!” Jason snaps, swinging a reckless punch.

Bruce reacts quickly, grabbing Jason's arm and twists it behind his back. Jason taps out and Bruce forces him to the ground, Jason still clutching his arm.

“You need to learn to focus, Jason,” Batman scolds.

“I  _ was _ focused,” Jason scowls as he stands.

“You were angry. You need to keep a cool head. Be rational.”

“Says the jerk who dresses like a bat.”

“That’s enough for tonight. Go to bed, Jason.”

“Whatever it takes to get out of here,” Jason growls as he storms off.

Soon, Jason heads back up to Wayne Manor alone. The teenager angrily climbs the stairs and returns to his room. As he nears his door, he finds Alfred in the hall, dusting an old bust on display. He looks to Jason as he opens his door.

“Is everything alright, Ma-”

“I’m fine, Alfred,” Jason sighs. “Just tired.”

Without another word, Jason enters his room and shuts the door. Jason shuffles towards the bed and falls onto the sheets after kicking his shoes off. Unlike most nights, it doesn’t take Jason long to fall asleep.

With the click of a door, Jason snaps awake in his bed as the lights turn on. He directs his attention to the door where he spots a tall teenage boy with black hair and blue eyes. The two lock eyes and Jason charges. The two get into a brief fight, Jason ramming the boy against the door before the stranger kicks him in the chest, making him fall against the bed.

“Who are you?” the boy questions.

“Who are  _ you _ ?” Jason demands, getting to his feet.

The two get into a brief fist fight before the door swings open and Alfred rushes in, expertly separating the two and hitting pressure points, forcing them to their knees.

“You two know the rules,” Alfred states as the boys glare at each other. “No fighting in the house.”

The boys begin screaming at each other again, prompting Alfred to roll his eyes. Jason will certainly remember this day as the day he met Dick Grayson, the first Boy Wonder.

Tensions begin to ease over the next few weeks as Dick and Jason get closer and more familiar. Dick helps Jason hone his preexisting acrobatics and his marksman skills with batarangs. The two train together in the batcave, both sparring while flipping and leaping from obstacles. Dick manages to win the close battle and helps Jason up, the both nearly soaked in sweat.

“You did good, Littlewing,” Dick chuckles. “You’re really improving.”

“Thanks, D.G.,” Jason smirks as they sit. “I’m glad  _ you _ think so.”

“What’s that mean?” Dick asks after a large gulp of water.

“I’m not sure Bruce thinks I’ll make it,” Jason shrugs. “Not sure he thinks I have it in me to be… to be you.”

“I…” Dick pauses, frowning at the younger teen. “Jason… that’s not-”

“You are your own man, Jason,” Alfred says from behind. “Besides…”

Jason and Dick turn to see Alfred who carries a metallic tray in his hand. Jason stands and approaches him as his heart drops. On the metal tray is a folded suit sporting an “R” insignia on the chest. Next to it is a series of folded, red batarangs and a red domino mask.

“...Master Bruce believes you’re more than ready,” Alfred smiles. “As do I. He’s requested you meet him in Gotham Village.”

Jason, still wide eyed, looks up at Alfred and then to Dick. Dick smirks as he proudly crosses his arms.

“Go get ‘em, Robin,” Dick smirks.

Batman stands on the edge of a rooftop, monitoring the situation below him in Gotham Village. The area, which would normally be active with partygoers and nightclub patrons, suffers from a lack of that kind of excitement. The dance club, Spectrum, is currently surrounded by the G.C.P.D. who set up barriers in the parking lot. The large, illuminated Spectrum sign is off, except for segments of the S which has been made to look like a green question mark.

Batman smirks as he hears light footsteps behind him. He crosses his arms as he takes most of his attention away from the situation below.

“How’s the suit, Robin?” Batman asks.

“Oh my god, it’s awesome!” Jason cheers happily as he steps into view.

Jason’s suit is similar to his predecessor’s, with the red chest piece and green leg armor, boots and gloves. Robin stands next to Batman, looking down on the situation.

“I’m glad you like it,” Batman nods. “We need to get down there. The Riddler has seized control of Spectrum- he has DA Herman and several others hostage. I’d be ready for his usual tricks.”

“Gotcha, Batman,” Robin nods. “I’m guessing he won’t be expecting Robin.”

“Exactly,” Batman says. “I’ll distract him. Let’s move out.”

Batman and Robin leap off from their perch, using the batropes to swing across the street. Jason smirks as he feels the wind in his hair. Robin drops onto a street light before jumping again, using his batrope to grapple up to the next building. He stands next to Batman, now directly overlooking the hostage scene.

“I know I’m supposed to be nervous and all,” Robin begins. “But can I be honest, Batman?”

“Always, Robin.”

“This is awesome,” Robin says with a grin.

“I can see that,”Batman says. “But don’t ever lose sight of what we’re doing out here. Every night- every moment- every moment- every time you put on that uniform… you’re accepting the risk and responsibility that comes with being a Robin.”

“I know- I understand, Batman.”

With that being said, the two spring into action. Batman fires his grappling gun and swings through the large windows, crashing inside. Meanwhile, Jason reaches the rooftop of Spectrum and pries open a panel of the skylight. Robin crawls inside and perches on one of the upper supports over the dance floor. He drops down onto the catwalk, giving him a good view of the area.

Down below, the Riddler stands at the DJ’s booth as Batman stands in the center of the dance floor. The room has a very retro theme with the floor being large, colored tiles that flash different colors. Jason notices a handful of Riddler thugs armed with rifles. In five other squares on different areas of the room, are men in business suits restrained to electric chairs.

“You need to end this, Riddler,” Batman growls. “Good people could get hurt.”

“People will certainly be harmed, Batman,” The Riddler says, twirling his question mark staff. “But are they good? That’s the question isn’t it!”

_ The files didn’t do him justice on how annoying that guy is _ , Jason thinks as he sneaks across the catwalk. Jason walks across a steel beam like a tightrope, until he is positioned above Nygma.

“In front of you is District Attorney Herman,” Riddler states. “He and his associates- who you should also see around you- have been responsible for money laundering and a staggering abuse of power here in Gotham. Or, perhaps the jury is still out.”

“Don’t act like you care about that, Nygma,” Batman snaps. “Let these men go and you’ll have a cushy cell in Arkham.”

“No, no, Batman,” the Riddler slams his cane. “That is not how this game is played and you know it. You must answer a riddle and perhaps someone will be set free.”

Jason descends from the beams, landing lightly on his feet behind the DJ booth. The Riddler wears his traditional green suit with the bowler hat, though he is sporting pronounced, red sideburns and he doesnt appear to have a shirt on under his blazer. This fact creeps Jason out a little.

Jason unfolds a birdarang but he notices Batman slightly shaking his head.

“Riddle me this, Batman!” the Riddler proudly ponders. “What kind of men are always above board?”

“Electricians,” Batman says firmly after a few moments of silence.

_ Electricians? _ Jason thinks.  _ What is… oh! _

Jason glances around the room, quickly finding a series of wires connected to a small generator with a green question mark painted on it. Jason smirks as he approaches it, damaging it by stabbing the coils with his birdarang. He rolls to the side and sneaks up to the Riddler.

“El- electricians?” the Riddler says, baffled. “You are a true dunce, Batman! It’s Chessmen! For your folly, a man will die.”

“No, please!” Herman cries out.

The Riddler smiles as he presses a button on his cane but finds that nothing happens. Frowning, he presses it repeatedly. He doesn’t realize until it’s too late that the charge has been redirected to the booth and to his staff. The Riddler screams in pain as he is electrified and stumbles back, dropping his cane.

“T- th- t- this is- isn’t fair…” he stammers. “You ch- che- cheated! H- h- how? You-”

“Hey, poindexter!” Robin shouts.

The Riddler turns around and finds Robin’s fist mere inches from his face.

“Checkmate!” Robin calls out as he knocks the mastermind out cold.

Batman leaps into the action, disarming a thug and shoving his head through the wooden bar. Jason vaults over the DJ booth and kicks one of Riddler’s men in the face and jumps onto another one. Batman throws two razor batarangs into the last gunman, making him misfire. Batman breaks his arm and kicks him back before Robin slams him into the ground.

It doesn’t take long for the G.C.P.D. to move in and free the hostages. Batman and Robin stand together on a neighboring rooftop, watching as the Riddler is put into the back of an Arkham Asylum ambulance.

“You did well today, Jay,” Batman says.

“I  _ did _ do most of the work,” Jason smiles.

“Don’t push it,” Batman chuckles, elbowing him. “Come on, it’s late. Let’s head home.”

For once, Jason Todd doesn’t argue and returns home, knowing he will remember this day forever. He knows that this is it- being Robin… it’s what he was born to do.


	6. Fear Itself

Jason Todd walks through the first floor of Wayne Manor with a bowl of popcorn in hand and a smile on his face. It’s only been a few weeks since his first outing as Robin, but he’s already acclimating to this new life. However, tonight is different- tonight is his day off.

Jason enters the den to find Bruce already on the couch, watching TV. Jason vaults the couch from behind and sits next to Bruce. Moments later, Alfred enters with a few drinks. Jason would kill for most nights to be this way- nothing dangerous or complicated. Just him at home acting like an actual teenager.

Together, Bruce, Jason, and Alfred sit down to all watch a new show together. Jason easily devours the popcorn by the middle of the show, so he leaves to make some more. He returns to the kitchen and begins popping a new bag, excited to get back to Bruce and Alfred.

“Master Jason, you should get in here,” Alfred calls after a minute.

“It’s almost done, Alfred,” Jason replies. “I’ll be-”

“Jason,” Bruce calls firmly. “Now.”

Jason, hearing the serious tone of his voice, immediately leaves and returns to the den. Jason opens his mouth to speak until he sees what’s on TV. The Gotham News Network reports on the ongoing Gotham Knights game at the Otisburg Stadium. The live footage displays a frightening display of violence as several of the players scream out at the top of their lungs. The handful of players aggressively attack those nearby: referees, teammates, and fans.

“Vesper, do you have any idea what is going on down there?” an off-screen news anchor asks.

“I’m afraid not,” Vesper Fairchild, the young reporter says from the stands. “Moments ago, Javion Ramsey, Ellis Jones, and Elliot May entered a panic and began assaulting everyone they could get their hands on. We don’t- oh my god!”

One of the players tackles a security guard into the wall, taking his gun.

“No, God!” he shouts. “Stay away!”

The feed cuts out as the player fires his gun into the crowd. Jason and Bruce share a quick look before the three quickly make their way towards the library.

As they approach the opposite end of the room from the study, Alfred flips the head of an old bust and reveals a keypad. Jason and Bruce face an area of the bookshelves a few feet away as Alfred types in a code. The bookshelf shifts and slides into the wall, revealing a hidden elevator. Alfred closes the bust and joins the others inside as the bookshelf closes again, hiding the elevator as it descends to the Batcave.

As soon as the elevator doors open to the training platform, the three leave and rush to the main platform. Alfred sits at the Batcomputer as, without a word, Jason and Bruce suit up.

“Commissioner Gordon has activated the batsignal and is attempting to contact us on the secure channel,” Alfred says. “I’m attempting to access the stadium’s security systems as we speak.”

“Let Gordon know we’re on the way,” Bruce says as he straps his boots.”   
“Of course, Master Bruce,” Alfred says with a nod.

Soon enough, the Dynamic Duo are prepped and ready as they jump into the Batmobile. The vehicle comes to life as the platform rotates, pointing them towards the waterfall entrance. The engines roar as Robin connects the straps and the Batmobile fires off like a rocket, cutting through the waterfall and speeding through the Kane Cliffs.

“Why would those men just attack like that?” Batman asks.

Jason presses his lips and nods, observing the screen in the dashboard displaying a map of Gotham City and the surrounding area.

“Jason.”

“What?”

“Why would they just attack like that?” Batman repeats.

“Oh, that was a real question?” Jason asks. “I thought you were just thinking out loud.”

“Well?”

“They seemed… scared,” Robin states. “Not angry- just scared. They looked like they were fighting for their lives.”

“Like fight or flight,” Batman says.

“Yeah, exactly,” Robin nods as they speed over a bridge into Gotham.

“So, what’s your hunch?” Batman asks. “The lessons never stop, Jason. You can always improve.”   
“I…” Jason ponders. “Scarecrow, maybe? No, there was no evidence of his toxins in the air. It would have affected more than just those three.”

“We can investigate more in person,” Batman nods.

It doesn’t take long for the two to arrive in Otisburg, a fairly popular neighborhood in Northern Gotham. The Otisburg Stadium has been a focal point of the district, home to many sporting events over the years. Jason always wanted to go see a game there, just not like this. The entire stadium is closed off by the G.C.P.D. with EMTs at the ready. Jim Gordon stands with the SWAT team, equipped with riot gear near the barricades. The Batmobile drifts to a quick stop and Batman and Robin step out, all attention shifting to them. Jason clenches his fists instinctively as the police look their way, though he relaxes as they allow them to meet with Gordon.

“Batman, Robin,” Gordon says, holding a cigar between his fingers. “We can’t get in there without endangering hostages.”

“How many are dead?” Batman asks.

“At least six,” Gordon sighs. “We need you in there ASAP. Or else we’ll need to take the risk.”

“We’ll handle it, Gordo,” Robin nods.

“Don’t call me that,” Gordon says, puffing out some smoke.

As Gordon leaves to prepare his men, Batman and Robin leap into action, grappling up to the top of the stadium and gliding down into the stands. Robin winces as they find several bodies slumped over, all dead.

“Alfred,” Batman scowls. “Any updates?”

“I’ve just accessed the cameras,” Alfred says through their earpieces. “It seems one of the deranged athletes has… has killed one of the other athletes. The other has locked the hostages in the locker rooms below the stadium.”

“How many hostages?” Batman asks.

“No more than seven,” Alfred replies. “Both of the athletes are armed and… very unpredictable.”

“Copy, Alfred,” Robin says.

Batman and Robin proceed to the locker rooms, formulating a plan on the way. Batman goes in first, kicking open the double doors as Robin grapples up to an air vent and climbing overhead.  _ These things are more cramped than they are in movies, _ Jason thinks as he attempts to squeeze through silently.  _ Thanks, Hollywood. _

The moment Batman bursts into the hall, the two athletes scream in pure horror. One of them opens fire on Batman as Jason crawls overhead as the other cowers behind a concrete pillar. Robin continues to crawl until he looks down a vent, finding a group of citizens inside the locker room. Robin repositions himself and kicks the vent out before dropping down in front of the hostages, who look startled.

“Robin?” one of them says. “Batman must be here too! We’re saved!”

“I am… also here,” Robin sighs, crossing his arms. “Whatever. Stay behind me.”

Robin takes a few steps back before kicking the door open, finding Batman knocking one of the athletes out and throwing a football helmet at the other, knocking him out cold.

“Quite the halftime show, Batman,” Robin jokes.

“Robin, get them out of here,” Batman says as he dismantles the handgun. “Make sure they receive medical treatment.”

Robin agrees and swiftly leads the former hostages out of the stadium and into the parking lot. The moment the S.W.A.T. team spots the group of hostages, they stand down. Paramedics rush in to offer assistance as Robin and Gordon meet by the mobile command center.

“Batman's in the locker rooms,” Robin says, crossing his arms as he looks up at the commissioner. “He subdued the gunmen but they turned on one of their own.”

“What do you mean?” Gordon says, blowing smoke from his cigar to the side.

“One of them killed one of the others,” Robin says with a puzzled look on his face. “We’re not sure why, but… they were terrified.”

“Thanks, kid,” Gordon says before looking to his officers. “Move in! The scene’s clear!”

Within the next few minutes, Batman and Robin reunite in front of the stadium as the two athletes are being moved on gurneys, strapped in tight. One of the two is unconscious and drooling as the other screams and fights against the restraints.

“Where are they being taken?” Batman asks.

“Gotham Central Hospital,” Gordon replies. “These bastards will probably end up in Arkham with the rest of the nutjobs.”

“They’re not all ‘nutjobs’, Jim,” Batman states. “And I’m not sure this is a psychotic break.”   
  


Robin and Gordon watch as Batman approaches the struggling attacker as he removes a device from his utility belt. Gordon looks over at Robin who just shrugs in response. Batman very quickly takes a blood sample from the struggling quarterback after holding him down briefly.

“We’ll need to test the sample for any toxins,” Batman says. “I need to question them once they’re stabilized.”

“I’ll try to arrange something,” Gordon says as he digs through his coat pockets. “Just keep me in the loop.”

As Gordon is distracted, Batman and Robin retreat into the night. Jason can barely hear Gordon as they reach the Batmobile.

“Bye, I guess!” Gordon calls out into the dark.

Robin snickers as the Batmobile speeds off towards the Batcave.

Over the next few hours, Bruce and Jason spend their time in the Batcave’s lab, going over the blood sample. Alfred stands behind the two as they look over the data, placing a hand on their shoulders.

“There’s definitely something here that doesn’t belong,” Jason frowns. “These compounds look like they’ve…”

“Like they’re becoming integrated into the blood cells,” Bruce furrows his brow. “It all is very familiar.”

“Perhaps we’re dealing with Doctor Crane once again,” Alfred suggests.

“Impossible, Alfred,” Jason shakes his head. “I’ve studied every file in the batcomputer- Scarecrow’s dead. Killer Croc ate him, right?”   
“Yes, but stranger things have happened than Scarecrow escaping Slaughter Swamp,” Bruce sighs. “However, someone else  _ could _ be using Crane’s methods even though the formula seems different.”

Jason presses his lips as he moves to one of the other monitors, pulling up security footage from the stadium attack. He clicks past the unimportant parts until he finds what he’s looking for.

The first clip shows a sudden change in the middle of the game itself. The crowds cheer and boo as the three players in question all rehydrate on the sidelines before returning to the field. Jason scrolls to a few minutes later when one of them freaks out and full on attacks a member of the opposite team. The other two freak out as well, one of them tackling a security guard and taking his gun. Jason switches to minutes later in the halls that lead to the locker rooms. The player with the gun, begins to scream as he tries to get his helmet off.

“Stop!” he screams. “Stop, you’re killing me!”

“No, no, no…” one of the others says, falling onto his back. “You’re- you’re dead. You died! Don’t do this!”

“Let me go!” the gunman screams before killing the man on the ground.

Jason sighs after closing the feeds, facing Bruce who seems to be deep in thought as Alfred leaves the room. The two lock eyes as they seemingly come to the same realization, prompting Jason to more heavily study the footage and Bruce to access Otisburg shipping records. After hours of research, Bruce and Jason reconvene with Alfred by the batcomputer.

“They must have been poisoned indirectly,” Jason states. “I didn’t see anyone actively go after them before they attacked. The only possibility is-”

“Bat-Surge,” Bruce nods. “The sports drink they had to rehydrate.”

“I still can’t believe they named a drink after you,” Jason comments. “But I agree. The only question is, why wasn’t the entire team- hell, the whole stadium- poisoned?”

“As far as I could tell,” Bruce says. “It was only a small shipment and thankfully it was early enough in the game that it doesn’t seem that anyone else got their hands on it. Alfred?”

“I will update Commissioner Gordon,” Alfred says. “Shall I pinpoint the shipment’s origin?”

“I’ve tried that,” Bruce sighs. “It was shipped from the processing plant on Coral Island, just north of the bridge to Gotham Heights. It looks like the shipment was late by several hours.”

“It went somewhere else first,” Jason says. “That’s where the bottles were compromised. It has to be.”

Bruce and Jason look over Alfred’s shoulder as he looks through the blood sample’s results. Alfred manages to isolate a compound in the blood, pulling up a matching sequence with the Batcomputer.

“It appears to be Scarecrow’s fear toxin,” Alfred says. “However there also seems to be an additional hallucinogen there… peyote extract.”   
“Peyote?” Jason raises a brow. “Cacti? In  _ Gotham _ ?”

“The Gotham Botanical Society,” Bruce says quickly. “They have a research lab in Gotham Heights. That must be the only place with access to peyote nearby.”

“That’s halfway between the Bat-Surge plant and the stadium!” Jason says in realization.

“I suggest you two hurry,” Alfred says. “We’re receiving updates from Gordon. It seems one of the poisoned players has died from a heart attack.”

“Let’s get moving, Robin,” Bruce says, pulling his cowl back over his face as Jason puts his domino mask back on.

The Batmobile races across the city with the engine at full blast. Robin tightens his gauntlets as they quickly turn onto the suspension bridge before rocketing straight for the Gotham Botanical Society, breezing past the high rise apartments and nightclubs. Batman enters a code into the console screen, shifting the Batmobile into autopilot as he nods to Robin.

The vigilantes eject from the vehicle as it continues down the road, turning towards Gotham Proper. Batman and Robin glide through the air, landing on the rooftop of the research facility in the midst of the rooftop garden.

“Be ready for anything,” Batman says as they descend through the roof entrance. “We’re relatively blind in here.”

“I’ve got it, B-man,” Robin replies cockily.

The pair continue to move through the research facility, moving through various chambers meant to hold plants not native to New England.

Soon, the duo reach an overly hot room filled with desert loving plants. The two go around the corner and find rows of multiple species of cacti. Before they can search for the peyote, they hear running footsteps further down the hall. Batman and Robin glance to the section of the displays labeled “ _ Lophophora williamsii _ ”, otherwise known as peyote. However, there is no sign of the hallucinogenic cacti anywhere.

“Let’s go!” Batman snaps, running after the footsteps with Robin at his side.

The two follow the fleeing figure down the hall, making several turns until they come to a sudden halt. They find themselves facing a group of armed men accompanying the fleeing suspect- a man dressed like a stereotypical scarecrow with the patchwork clothes, burlap sacks, and pointed hat.

“Long time no see, Batman,” Scarecrow says, gripping his scythe tight in one hand.

“Why attack the stadium, Crane?” Batman asks.

“That was no attack,” Scarecrow says. “That was only a test. A public place with plenty of footage for accurate research. How did you like the new and improved  _ fear toxin _ ?”   
“You’re done terrorizing Gotham,” Batman snaps as the gunmen raise their weapons.

“Though fear toxin is a better name than fear gas,” Robin shrugs. “But you  _ are _ going back to Arkham. Tonight.”

“Perhaps you need first hand experience!” Crane yells. “Stall them! I must prepare the extract!”   
  


Batman and Robin jump out of the way as Scarecrow’s hired thugs open fire, sending bullets rocketing down the hall. Batman throws a batarang as he leaps into action, knocking the gun out of one of their hands. Robin uses his bat-rope to grapple up above and drop down on one of the criminals, breaking their collarbone instantly. As Batman fights the thugs, Jason looks further down the hall and sees Scarecrow enter a secure lab.

“I’ll go after Crane!” Robin shouts, dodging gunfire.

“No, Robin!” Batman says, kicking a man into another. “Not yet. We-”

“Can’t let him get away!” Robin snaps before running off.

“He’s not trying to get away!” Batman calls out as he takes down another two gunmen.

Robin rushes down the hall and throws open the lab doors. Suddenly, Jason finds himself alone in the laboratory surrounded by scientific equipment and dozens of plants. Jason approaches a large machine with an open cylinder attached. Jason’s time with Lucius Fox has taught him that something like this has been used to dehydrate organic things like fruit, plants, and even processed foods. Jason spots a small, shriveled cactus sitting inside.

“Peyote…” Robin says to himself.

“The ancient Aztecs used it as a powerful hallucinogen.”

Robin turns around quickly, spotting Scarecrow standing between two metal shelves of plant samples. The sidekick clenches his fists as he readies for an attack, glaring at the psychopath in front of him.

“I was hoping to continue my tests on Batman…” Scarecrow says, casually swinging his scythe.

Robin knows he’s trying to distract him. After all, he studied Crane’s file in detail. Robin notices that the scythe now has a tube attached to it; a tube that leads to a pressurized canister strapped to Scarecrow’s back.

“However, I’ve yet to test my improved toxins on an adolescent,” Crane grins. “Perhaps you  _ are _ of some use.”

“You can use as many big words as you want,” Robin smirks. “I know you’re still looking for your brain- you don’t know everything. How’s Dorothy, by the way? Or the Tin Man? The Cowardly Lion?”

“You ignorant fool,” Scarecrow scowls before attacking.

Scarecrow and Robin engage in a close battle as Robin manages to dodge most of the scythe’s swipes. However, the vigilante hasn’t even landed a single hit on Scarecrow. Robin rolls out of reach of the scythe and throws a pair of birdarangs, one of which cuts through the sack mask and cuts across Crane’s cheek. Robin takes advantage and charges, slamming Scarecrow into the metal shelves. He connects his fist with Crane’s jaw a few times before Scarecrow presses a button on his scythe and sprays a noxious cloud of dark gas into Jason’s face.

Robin coughs and stumbles back before he’s hit hard by the blunt end of the weapon. Robin falls onto his back, looking up at Scarecrow as the world around him seems to shift.

“Little bird…” Scarecrow says, his voice sounding demonic and twisted as if a deeper version of his own voice is speaking almost at the same time. “I wonder what makes you tick…”

As Scarecrow laughs, the villain changes before Jason’s eyes, transforming into an eight foot tall monstrosity- a demonic creature with eyes glowing red underneath the sack which has fused with the skin. The scythe elongates and becomes more ragged and crooked. Scarecrow swings his scythe as his limbs become more lanky and inhuman looking. Jason shields his face as Batman swings in and kicks the monster away.

Jason backs up while still on the ground, pure fear and adrenaline pumping through his body as the world around him darkens. All the defined features melt away as Batman re-enters his field of vision.

“B- Batman?” Jason says, realizing he’s back in his ratty old hoodie.

Suddenly, Ma Gunn runs out from the shadows, flanked by the other boys from the home. Batman clocks the old lady in the jaw before fending off the boys, taking a switchblade in his side. The Dark Knight stumbles as a series of shots hit his back. Batman turns just in time to receive a shot straight through the brain and he falls back into the darkness.

“Batman!” Jason cries out, seeing that the shooter was a member of the Red Hood Gang. “Don’t leave me!”

Suddenly, the Red Hood disappears and Jason is left alone, now on his knees in the darkness as tears run down his face.

“Jason…”

“Batman?” Jason says, breathless.

Slowly, a zombified version of Batman steps out of the shadows. Jason falls back in terror, whipping out two birdarangs as his hands shake.

“You… you failed me, Robin,” Batman groans. “You were supposed to save me! And you failed...”

“No! I didn’t…”

Batman throws a few batarangs and Jason rolls to the side, throwing his birdarangs. The two fight, Jason not holding back. Batman throws an explosive batarang, blinding Jason for a few moments before he feels his body slam into something incredibly hard.

Jason Todd wakes up, letting out a blood curdling scream. He looks around and quickly finds that he is on a metal table in the Batcave, just wearing the legs and boots of his suit. He feels as if his heart is breaking out of his chest.

“Jason, it’s alright,” Bruce says, placing a hand on Jason’s shoulder.

“Bruce…” Jason says, looking over at Bruce and Alfred. “I’m… I’m sorry.”

“We got Scarecrow,” Bruce says. “It’s okay. Next time, just-”

Jason very quickly hugs the both of them tight as tears run down his face. He pulls back after a few moments, quickly wiping his face.

“Master Jason?” Alfred says concerned.

“I won’t…” Jason says before letting out a firm cough, clenching his teeth. “I won’t fail you. Ever. Either of you. I swear it.”

“Get some rest,” Bruce says simply as he stands. “And I know. You haven’t failed.”

Jason sighs as sweat rolls down his chest, clenching his shaking fists.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Next week's chapters might be a little delayed. I've officially caught up with what have have written and life tends to get in the way lol. So, sorry in advance. <3


	7. Chemistry

Jason rides in the back of a sleek town car next to Bruce Wayne. Bruce, much like Jason, wears an elegant black suit and tie. Jason slightly pulls at his collar as he sighs at his reflection in the mirror. Opposed to the usual mess, Jason’s hair is neat and parted at the side.

“I look ridiculous,” Jason sighs.

“I believe you’re quite handsome looking, Master Jason,” Alfred says from the front seat. “It is a better look than the hoodie of yours with the holes in it.”

“It has charm,” Jason smirks. “But why do we need to go to this thing?”

“It’s all a part of the job, Jason,” Bruce says. “In order for me to be Batman without raising suspicions…”

“Bruce Wayne needs to be seen as the playboy philanthropist the world expects to see,” Jason nods. “I know, but why do  _ I _ need to be here?”   
“It’s the same reason, Jay” Bruce says. “To eliminate any suspicion of Bruce Wayne’s ward being Robin, Jason Todd needs to be seen as- well, as however you want people to see you. Preferably as someone who wouldn’t spend his nights wearing a cape.”

“Makes sense, I guess,” Jason sighs. “I still don’t like it.”

“Master Bruce?”

“Yes, Alfred?”

“I’ll remind you that it worries me to no end when you refer to yourself in the third person.”

Jason chuckles as the car comes to a slow stop.

“I’ll be waiting nearby,” Alfred says as the photographers outside begin to take pictures.

Bruce clasps Jason on the shoulder before the two step out of the car. Jason regrets not bringing sunglasses, despite it being late into the night, as the flash from the cameras nearly blind him. However, his vision quickly recovers as he walks with Bruce towards the building entrance as many reporters attempt to catch Bruce’s attention.

“Mister Wayne!” a young reporter calls out.

“Miss Fairchild,” Bruce stops and smiles at her. “I’m a big fan.”

“The same to you, Mister Wayne,” Vesper Fairchild chuckles. “Do you have anything to say about tonight’s gala?”

“I have a certain privilege here in Gotham, just like Wayne Enterprises,” Bruce says with a smile. “For someone of my position, it is one’s responsibility to do whatever they can for their community. We plan on assisting in the reformation of the G.C.P.D., the healthcare system in Gotham City, the reconstruction of Park Row and the Narrows’ infrastructure, among other projects.”

“Amazing,” Vesper smiles. “And you, Mister Todd?”

“Me?” Jason says surprised.

“What do you think of your new situation?” she asks. “And of what Bruce just explained?”

“I think…” Jason says. “Bruce is a great man and he cares about this city more than I’ve ever met. As for the projects, I think it… it all sounds amazing. I can attest to the state of Park Row and the Narrows and the healthcare system for those of us who haven’t had the best opportunities.”

“Fantastic,” Vesper smiles. “Well, we all look forward to the future you’re aiming for.”

Bruce and Jason nod before continuing towards the banquet hall. Bruce elbows Jason and smiles down at him.

“What?”

“You did well back there,” Bruce says. “You handled it better than expected.”

“Well, I’m used to putting on the charm, obviously,” Jason jokes. “Just not in front of the entire city.”

The doorman greets Wayne and his ward before letting the two inside. The elegant banquet hall is crawling with celebrities, billionaires, socialites, and Wayne Enterprises employees. Everyone in sight wears clothes nearly as expensive as Bruce and Jason’s which makes Jason incredibly uncomfortable.

“Mister Wayne,” Lucius Fox says, approaching Bruce and Jason. “Mister Todd. It’s nice to see you again.”

“And you, Lucius,” Bruce smiles. “Where’s the kids?”

“They're helping Lucas pack for college,” Lucius says with a sad smile. “They grow up quick, Bruce. Oh, excuse me. I should make sure the staff is ready for the reveal tonight.”

After excusing himself, Lucius leaves in hurry with a man wearing a Wayne ID badge. Bruce looks down to Jason after glancing around the room.

“Why don’t you get some food?” Bruce asks. “Go mingle.”   
“Mingle?” Jason crosses his arms. “With who? The old billionaires? The oddly creepy celebrities? There’s no one here my age.”

“Just give it a shot,” Bruce says seriously.

Jason sighs and nods, walking off to the crafts area.

Jason skirts around a few of the wealthy socialites in order to get to the table. He grabs a small plate and gets some bread and cheese. Standing near the table alone, he begins to fill his mouth with bread and cheese as Bruce spoke with benefactor after benefactor. Jason takes a big bite of a bread roll, the food item filling his mouth as someone chuckles behind him.

“You must be Jason Todd,” a feminine voice says.

Jason turns and, with his mouth still full with food, sees a teenage girl in front of him. The girl stands a few inches taller than him, wearing a beautiful dress. Her red hair rests on her shoulders as she looks down to Jason with emerald eyes behind her glasses.

“Mmph, hi-” Jason says, his mouth full.

Jason spits out the food into a napkin and sets the plate down.

“Hi there,” he smiles, as red as his Robin uniform. “How… do you… do I know you?”

“Not really, no,” she states. “But I’m friends with Dick Grayson. He’s talked a lot about you.”

“Really?” Jason smirks. “Dick has friends. Well that’s a bombshell.”

“I’m Barbara Gordon, by the way,” she says with a laugh.

“Jason Todd,” Jason says, very unsmoothly. “But you already knew that…”

For the next hour, Jason does exactly what Bruce told him- mingle. Jason mainly speaks with Barbara, as she is the only other teenager he can find even if she’s two years older than him. However, Jason could swear that he spotted a girl of his height sneaking past an obnoxious millionaire. He knows she was real enough for him to see the short blond hair and black skirt.

This train of thought is quickly dismissed when Lucius Fox approaches the microphone up on the stage. Jason stands with Barbara near the crafts table as Bruce Wayne stands in the midst of several people in the center of the room.

“Welcome everyone to the annual Wayne Enterprises gala,” Lucius greets. “I thank you all for coming. Today is a celebration of all Wayne Enterprises has worked towards in the past year. Only months ago, we launched our latest satellite which will be supplying a faster and more stable internet connection to all parts of Gotham and- eventually, the entire Eastern seaboard.”

This seems to get quite the response out of the crowd as they all begin to clap. Lucius goes into more detail about the satellite and the improvements to Gotham’s infrastructure the company has helped achieve. However, Jason zonesout as the technobabble begins to give him a migraine.

Nearing the end of the speech, Lucius introduces a Wayne Enterprises chemist- Hank Bastian. Hank shakes hands with Lucius and sheepishly waves to the guests as he and Mister Fox stand next to each other.

“Hello, everyone,” Bastian says. “I am Doctor Henry Bastian, head of chemical research at WayneTech. For the past year, all of us here have been saddened by the pollution of Gotham Harbor by the ACE Chemicals breach and the spreading opioid crisis gripping the lower class of our city. So, my team and I have worked ourselves to the bone on our most recent project inelegantly named serum-7731. The serum is meant to be used as a fast acting dilution agent that can be used to assist in cleaning chemical spills or even helping addicts recover and sober up much faster.”   
“That’s incredible,” Barbara says under her breath as the crowd claps.

Jason frowns as he can barely hear the rushed footsteps in the halls. He looks back up to the stage as the chemist continues to speak, Lucius clasping him on the back.

“We expect the serum to be complete by Winter this-”

Suddenly, the room erupts into chaos as dozens of armed men storm inside. They rush the stage as the people scream in fear. One of the armed gunmen, wearing body armor and a balaclava like all the others, shoves Lucius off of the stage and grabs Doctor Bastian. The people attempt to flee but they find the doors are blocked by more of the gunmen. Jason and Barbara look for each other and Jason is surprised she doesn’t look more scared. Jason looks across the room, locking eyes with Bruce as Jim Gordon steps between the civilians and the gunmen.

“Dad, no…” Barbara says under her breath.

“Surrender now,” Gordon snaps, showing his badge. “And the G.C.P-”   
  


One of the gunmen approaches and slams Gordon into the ground, saying something in Spanish that Jason can’t understand. The gunmen continue to yell at Gordon and the others, including Bruce. Jason looks to Bruce who signs using ASL, saying “Go with Barbara” which prompts Jason to furrow his brow. As the gunmen are distracted, Barbara grabs Jason’s arm and pulls him under the table and out of the door.

Once safely in the hall, the two look at each other. Jason’s mind is filled with questions. How does this girl know Bruce? How does Bruce know her? If she knows Dick  _ and _ Bruce does that mean she’s one of them? How would that even work? Her dad’s Commissioner Gordon.

“I’m going to go get some help,” Barbara says. “My dad has some men outside. Do you want to come with me?”

“I- no,” Jason says. “Alfred’s around the corner. I need to see him.”

“Just be careful,” she nods.

“You too,” Jason says with a small smile.

Jason watches as she runs off before he does the same, rushing through the halls and out of a side entrance, exiting onto the street. Jason quickly rushes down the sidewalk as he unties his tie and removes his jacket. He throws the door open to the town car as soon as he reaches it.

“Master Jason!” Alfred says in shock. “What are you doing here? Where’s Master Bruce?”   
“There’s armed mercenaries inside,” Jason says. “Bruce is still in there. I guess he still needs to disperse any rumors of his connection to Batman.”   
“That does sound like Master Bruce,” Alfred says, shaking his head. “Well, I’m thankful he plans ahead.”

Alfred presses a button under the steering wheel, prompting a compartment to open in the middle seat next to Jason, revealing the Robin suit and the Batsuit. Jason quickly kicks his shoes off and removes his dress shirt as Alfred stares ahead.

“I can feel your nerves, Master Jason,” Alfred says as Jason throws his pants up to the front seat.

“It’s nothing, Alfred,” Jason says as he pulls the lower part of the suit on and straps his boots. “I’m just… I’ve never been out there without Batman.”

“You are quite talented, Master Jason,” Alfred says. “Not on the same level as Master Bruce, but still impressive. Besides, I’ve been checking in with the rest of the family. Batgirl is nearby.”

“Batgirl?” Jason says, strapping the top half and cape on. “I thought she worked solo?”

“She does occasionally,” Alfred nods slowly. “However, Master Bruce wanted to handle your training himself and he was going to wait before introducing you.”

“What about Dick?” Jason asks, tightening his gauntlets and clicking his utility belt.

“Well, Dick and Bruce had a falling out,” Alfred says with a serious tone. “I’m afraid neither of the two really listen to each other anymore.”

“Well,” Jason sighs as he puts his domino mask on. “At least I’ll have backup. Thanks, Alfred.”   
“Do be careful, Master Jason.”

Jason quickly leaves the town car, grappling up to the monorail platform above the city streets. He stands on the metal surface, looking down at the Thomas and Martha Wayne Memorial Plaza. Several police cars block off the streets, surrounding the building.  _ I guess Barbara made it and warned the cops _ , Jason thinks.  _ Good. It’s not pretty inside. Now, how am I getting back in? _ As Robin studies, he finds that the entrance he took has been blocked off from the inside.

As a G.C.P.D. helicopter hovers overhead, Robin throws his bat-rope and hooks the landing gear, allowing him to swing onto the roof of the plaza. He goes to the emergency exit on the roof, which he knows would lead to a stairwell to the ground floor, but he finds that it is stuck in place. He rushes to the maintenance shaft, entering the date of the Wayne murders into the keypad, unlocking the passage.

Eventually, Robin exits the shaft into one of the halls and immediately spots two mercenaries on patrol. The two carry on a conversation in Spanish and Jason only catches a few words:  _ memory _ and  _ bat _ among them. Robin furrows his brow, thinking,  _ these guys are so familiar… but how? _ He charges forward, throwing a wingding into the back of one of their heads. The other turns around and immediately catches a foot to the nose. Jason knees that same one, knocking his gun away before using his bat-rope to drag the other to the ground, slamming his face into the title. Robin quickly knocks the two out before moving forward as stealthily as he can.

Robin grapples up into the vents, eventually exiting onto the horizontal beams running over the banquet hall. Robin glares as he finds that the hostages have been pushed into the middle of the room as one of the men interrogates Doctor Bastian on the stage, digging his knife into the man’s knees. The doctor screams in pain as the obvious leader tortures him.

“Please! I can’t!” the doctor cries out.

“You will,” the masked man threatens in a Latin accent. “Otherwise these hostages will die due to your pride…”

“It’s my life’s work…” Bastian says in agony. “I… I can’t bring you to the seru-”

The torturer punches the man hard in the face, cutting him off mid sentence. As he readies another attack, Robin whips his bat-rope, causing the tendril to wrap around the man’s arm. As Robin drops down, the man is briefly pulled up into the air like a human pulley system.

“Kill the child!” the leader snaps as he regains his footing.

“Teenager!” Robin corrects as he rolls out of the way of the bullets.

Robin grapples up above, careful to not get the hostages caught in the crossfire. Robin twists and turns in midair, a series of bullets grazing his arm. He grapples back towards the ground, delivering a flying kick to a gunman before throwing a concussive birdarang at another.

Suddenly, a figure emerges from backstage choking out a gunman from behind. She seems to be a young girl in grayish-blue suit similar to Batman’s, the bat-symbol a striking yellow. The girl’s red hair flows from the back of her cowl, over her bright cape.  _ About time, Batgirl, _ Jason thinks.  _ Alfred always pulls through. _ The leader scowls and orders his men in Spanish, prompting several of them to grab Bastian and begin to leave with him.

“We can’t let them get the chemist!” Batgirl says jabbing at several pressure points before kicking a man through the podium.

“On it!” Robin snaps, sliding under the leader and running towards the chemist. “I’m sorry, did you guys have invitations?”

Robin pulls one of the men away, clocking him hard in the jaw before knocking the wind out of him. 

Robin reaches for the chemist when he feels a strong grip on his shoulder that yanks him back. Jason goes tumbling, though manages to land on his feet several feet back. Robin scowls at the leader as he removes his long coat, revealing some tank-like container strapped to his back with small tubes going into his skin.

“You want to play?” the man says. “Like a chicken against a bird of prey, huh?”

Suddenly green liquid is pumped through the tubes and into the man’s body, making him grow by nearly a foot. His muscles expand, putting much strain against his body armor as he roars in pure rage.

“Bane?” Robin says, eyes wide.

_ No, this isn’t him, _ Jason thinks.  _ It can’t be. Bane’s gear is more sophisticated, but… who else uses venom? _ The man screams as he runs and grabs Robin, slamming the teenager through the wall, throwing him down the hall. Robin groans as he slowly gets up, his suit scuffed and covered in dust.

Before Robin even had a chance to react, not-Bane charges and pulls Jason up by his cape, quickly holding him over his head as if he’s ready to break him in half. Jason struggles, still dazed as his head spins. Suddenly, Batgirl attacks the man from behind and causes him to drop Robin. The man turns to Batgirl and angrily attacks, missing several times and hitting the wall. However, the one hit that lands on her sends her backwards through a bust of Martha Wayne. As not-Bane begins to charge, Jason whips an explosive birdarang that stabs into the venom tank on the man’s back. Not-Bane turns around to look at Jason just before the birdarang explodes, sending debris and fluids everywhere. The man falls weak and confused as his body reverts to normal.

“Nice moves, Batgirl,” Robin says. “For a girl.”

“You were a great distraction, Little Wing,” she smiles, brushing dust off of her shoulders.

Batgirl and Robin stand together behind the plaza with Commissioner Gordon as dozens of mercenaries are put into police transports. Batgirl rubs the back of her neck as she faces away from Gordon, intriguing Jason. One of the S.W.A.T. operatives bring in the leader, cuffed at the hands and feet.

“We figured Batman would want to talk with the guy when he gets here,” Gordon says, pulling a cigar out of his tux coat.

“He’s not coming,” Robin says. “He’s preoccupied. We’ll be handling this.”

“You’re a kid,” Gordon points out.

“He was also trained by Batman,” Batgirl states. “As was I. We can handle it.”

“Fine,” Gordon sighs. “Guy says his name is ‘Bird’. We haven’t been able to get a real name out of him yet.”

“He won’t even give you his name?” Robin says. “We probably won’t get any details out of him, then.”

“He definitely won’t give up his men without an incentive,” Gordon agrees.

“He wanted the serum,” Batgirl says. “On the stage- that’s why he was torturing him. That means that’s where they’re headed- wherever the doctor’s lab is.”   
“I’ve already asked around,” Gordon sighs. “Wayne’s people say it's classified.”

“I know a guy,” Robin says. “We’ll figure it out. Thanks anyway, Gordon.”

Robin and Batgirl turn to leave, grabbing their bat-ropes as they hear Bird shuffling behind him.

“You won’t stop him,” he spits angrily.

“Who?” Batgirl asks as they look back.

“You know who, girl,” Bird snaps. “Bane will break you children, the Bat himself, and  _ then _ he will topple this metropolis!”

“Eh, I’ve heard better bad guy monologues,” Robin shrugs. “Let’s go, B.G.”

The pair grapple up to the rooftops, sitting on the edge of a vacant penthouse nearby. Jason digs his phone out of his utility belt, finding a text from Bruce:

Stick with her. I need to keep up the charade.

Come on, Bruce. Really? >:(

Really. You’ve got this under control. If you run into Bane, do not engage, Jason. Do NOT.

Fine.

Robin stands up and faces Batgirl, checking his phone once again to see a text from Lucius Fox. She looks at him, raising a brow and crossing her arms.

“Well?” she asks.

“We’re on our own,” he states. “Bru- Batman isn’t getting here anytime soon.”

“Well, we can work together then,” she smiles.

“I guess,” Robin says. “Though I’m sure I could handle it alone.”

“You could take down Bane?” she smirks. “Alone?”

“Obviously,” he says flexing. “Now, let’s go meet with Lucius. He says he’s in the alley now.”

“Lead the way, kid,” Batgirl replies.

The two vigilantes drop down from the rooftops to a fire escape leading to the alleyway near the plaza. They drop down to the concrete as Lucius walks into the alley while on the phone, a stressed look on his face.

“Tanya, I know,” he sighs. “I- yes, obviously! This had nothing to- I know. I kno- I said I know! You know me. I love our babies more than life itself. I…”

Lucius turns and spots Batgirl and Robin, giving them a slight nod as he raises a finger.

“Listen, I’ll be home soon, okay?” he says. “Just need to answer a few more questions… I love you too, honey.”

“Having trouble, Mister Fox?” Batgirl asks as the older man hangs up.

“Heh, nothing out of the ordinary, Batgirl,” he chuckles. “My wife’s just worried, given I was a hostage and all. Thank you both, by the way. You saved a lot of lives today.”

“It’s just our job, Lucius,” Robin nods. “However, if you’re looking to return the favor-”

The conversation is interrupted as Batgirl removes her phone from her utility belt. Robin watches as her eyes go wide.

“Hey, uh… I’m sorry, I…” Batgirl says nervously.

“Go on, Batgirl,” Robin says. “I’ve got it.”

“Dad?” she says into the phone as she steps back. “No, I- I’m okay, Dad. I got a cab home… Well, I wanted to get out of your way…”

“Anyways,” Robin says.

“Right,” Lucius nods. “I will help you however I can, Robin.”

“We know that the mercenaries are going after the serum,” Robin says. “However, the location of Bastian’s lab is classified by WayneTech. If we want to stop them, we need to get inside.”

“Of course,” Lucius says. “The lab is on the Chinatown docks, hidden as a Wayne Enterprises Shipping facility.”

“What do I need to get inside?” Jason asks. “I’d guess it’s locked up tight.”

“You just need yourself,” Lucius says. “It’s a biometric scanner- Mister Wayne had me enter your biometrics into our systems.”

“So, Bane’s men would need Doctor Bastian to get in?”

“That’s correct,” Lucius says as Batgirl returns. “So, they will need to keep him alive. I imagine that’s the only bright side.”

“Thank you, Mister Fox,” Batgirl nods.

“If that’s all, I should be getting home,” Lucius says.

“Stay safe, Lucius,” Robin replies before turning to Batgirl. “It’s in Chinatown.”

“Lead the way, Boy Wonder.”

Batgirl and Robin move together across the rooftops, vaulting over AC units and leaping across alleyways. They drop down onto a rooftop cafe, avoiding vacant tables with umbrellas.

“Robin and Batgirl?” Alfred says in their earpieces. “I’m tracking your positions in Chinatown, what’s your status?”   
“Lucius told us the serum is held at a secret lab on the docks,” Batgirl states. “It’s disguised as a Wayne Enterprises Shipping facility.”

“I’m seeing it,” Alfred replies. “408 Conway Avenue. I’ll alert Commissioner Gordon.”

“Thanks, Alf,” Robin says. “We’re almost there, so-”

“I feel as if I should remind you of Batman’s instructions to you  _ both _ ,” Alfred says. “If Bane is present, do not engage him.”

“Yeah, we know,” Robin rolls his eyes. “Talk later, Pennyworth.”

Robin hangs up before jumping to the next rooftop, a stylish roof of a Chinese restaurant. The vigilantes stand together near the edge, observing the docks only a few blocks away.

“I was wondering something,” Robin says.

“Shoot.”

“You know, Alfred? And You know who Batman is?”

“Yes,” she smirks.

“So, do you… I…”

“Jason Todd,” she answers quickly.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier,” Robin questions, crossing his arms. “It would’ve been nice to not tiptoe around the topic.”

“I wanted to see if you were as awkward as Robin as you were at the gala,” she shrugs.

“I… Barbara?”

“Surprise,” she smirks.

“Of course,” Robin says, blushing under his mask. “Well, come on. We need to talk about Bane.”

The two swing across the street together, now both comfortable with the partnership. The duo land on the docks next to the shipping facility, quickly finding the door with a WayneTech security panel.

“I still don’t get it,” Robin frowns. “Why does Bane want this serum?”

“He’s always trying to enhance venom,” Batgirl replies. “You should know that.”

“I do, but…” he sighs. “The serum dilutes… stuff. Right?”

“I see what you mean,” Batgirl says, “It would only water down the drug. He has to have a reason. Bane isn’t just a brute- he’s a mastermind.”

“In his files,” Robin says with a figurative lightbulb over his head. “Bane figured out Batman’s identity… didn’t he? Alfred?”

“That’s correct, Robin,” Alfred says. “However, he later enhanced his drug of choice. It made him much stronger, larger, and durable. The only downsides were that it caused him to enter a primal and psychotic rage. That, and it gave him limited amnesia, causing him to forget Batman’s name.”

“Oh my God,” Batgirl says as Robin approaches the door. “Why didn’t I see it sooner?”   
“Why does every smart person love to be vague?” Robin rolls his eyes as the scanner registers him, opening the door.

“I think that,” Batgirl says slowly as the door opens. “If Bane can use the serum with his venom, he might be able to dilute the harmful chemicals while keeping the bonuses.”

“He’ll keep his sanity and regain his memory the next time he uses it,” Robin says, wide-eyed. “We need to move.”

The vigilantes move through the secret lab, avoiding patrols of mercenaries searching for information on the serum. They grapple up to the hanging lights in order to literally get the drop on them. They continue to move together until they reach what appears to be the central chamber.

In the center of the room is a large device holding a rotating vial behind several inches of glass. Multiple armed mercenaries take up positions around the room as one of them stands by the device, speaking in Spanish to the others.

“Be ready,” Batgirl whispers, translating to Robin. “The leader is coming with the scientist.”

“I don’t like  _ that _ ,” Robin whispers.

“Let me go! Please!” the terrified voice of Hank Bastian says from out of view.

The doors on the opposite side of the room swings open as two mercenaries come out, rifles in hand. Robin finds difficulty in keeping on his feet on the beams above the lab as he spots the towering figure following the mercenaries. Bane is an impressive, opposing force of nature wearing a black reinforced chest piece and army pants with combat boots. He, as always, wears a mask to conceal his identity and has a pack of venom on his back. He drags Bastian behind him by the wrist, making the man groan in pain.

“You will open the capsule,” Bane says, tossing the man onto the floor in front of the device.

“I… I can’t…” Hank cries out, blood dripping from his mouth. “Please…”

“We need to stop them,” Batgirl says.

“But Batman said-” Robin says with a surprised look.

“Why pick now to start listening to Batman?” she winks at him before leaping off.

Robin smiles before following her into the fray.

Robin immediately lands on a mercenary, slamming his face into the ground before slamming another into the wall. Near the middle of the room, Batgril throws a few electrified batarangs, stunning the mercenaries next to Bane. Before the supervillain could react, she kicks him hard in the face and flips backwards onto the ground, landing between him and Hank.

“You are not the bat I expected,” Bane scowls.

“I’m the one you have,” Batgirl snaps. “Doctor Bastian? Run.”

The scientist doesn’t argue as he stands to run. Bane glares and charges Batgirl, causing her to dodge a few powerful attacks.

Meanwhile three of the mercenaries pursue the doctor. The man shoves a glass door open as he enters the server farm, dodging in between a row of servers. Unfortunately, he finds himself at a dead end as the mercenaries block his only escape.

“We cannot kill you,” one of them says before shooting the man in the thigh. “But we can make you hurt.”

Bastian falls to the ground in pain as the glass wall shatters as Robin busts through, checking a mercenary into the servers. One of the others opens fire on Robin, who manages to dodge and throw a blunt birdarang directly at the man’s face.

“What’s the point of body armor if you’re sleeveless?” Robin asks, throwing a bladed birdarang into the third one’s arm before knocking him out.

Robin rushes to Hank Bastian and manages to give some medical care by ripping the man’s coat and tying it tight around his thigh.

“Stay here, alright?” Robin says. “We’ll handle this.”

“Of- of course,” he winces. “Thank you, Robin.”

“Hold tight,” Robin nods before rejoining Batgirl.

As Robin returns to Batgirl, Bane smashes her into the ground. Robin charges and throws several razor birdarangs, most cutting into his arms. Bane grabs Robin by the throat, despite his best efforts to escape, before throwing him through a large monitor.

The next thing Jason and Barbara realizes, Bane has grabbed Doctor Bastian and dragged him to the device. He slams the man into the glass face of it as the biometrics are scanned. As soon as the device opens, Robin and Batgirl leap into action. However, they are unable to stop Bane from tossing the man like a ragdoll. Robin jumps into a punch, clocking Bane in the jaw before quickly being slapped to the side. Batgirl, similarly, is knocked back by a kick to the face as Bane retrieves the serum.

“The Batman could never beat me,” Bane says as his men approach, guns at the ready. “What made you think you could do what he could not?”

“There’s two of us,” Batgirl says as she slowly stands.

As Bane is distracted, Robin whips an explosive birdarang at Bane’s hand. Bane groans in pain as it explodes, shattering the glass tube in his hand and scattering the liquid serum onto the floor.

“NO!” Bane roars. “Do you have any idea of what you’ve done?”

“We stopped you,” Robin smirks, spitting blood onto the floor as he gets to his feet.

Bane scowls as Robin wipes blood from his lips, slamming his palm onto his gauntlet. Suddenly, the green drug begins to pump into Bane’s body, causing him to initially groan in pain as he grows in every sense. Bane’s muscles expand to cause him to nearly burst out of his body armor, his mask ripping in several areas. Bane lets out a primal scream as his men even look terrified.

“Run,” Batgirl says, holding her side.

“No shit,” Robin replies quickly.

The vigilantes run for their lives as Bane barrels behind them, wrecking through everything like a freight train. They dodge and weave around obstacles in the halls as Bane catches up more and more. Robin readies his bat-rope, planning to get above and land on top of Bane, when Bane crashes into the pair. Bane tackles them through the wall, slamming them onto the city streets outside.

The roided out supervillain roars in pure rage as several G.C.P.D. vehicles roll up, forming a blockade of the city street. Civilians across the street run for safety as Robin is picked up by his cape. Batgirl throws batarangs at Bane’s face but yields no result as he throws Robin into the side of a parked car. Robin rolls over on the ground in pain.  _ Get up _ , he tells himself.  _ You don’t quit. Never give in. _

Robin stands as Batgirl manages to trip Bane with her batrope and jumps onto his back. Before she could stab her batarang into the controls of the venom pack, Bane grabs a piece of concrete and smacks her in the head before standing. Batgirl and Robin stand together, fists up as Bane glares at them.

“Some first team-up, huh?” Robin jokes.

“At least it’s exciting,” Batgirl chuckles weakly.

“I’d get off the street, you two,” a gravelly voice says in their ears.

“Batman?” they say in unison.

They look back, watching as the Batmobile approaches rapidly in a straight shot towards them. Bane roars before charging at them, moments before they grapple up into the air and land on street lights.

Bane doesn’t have any time to react as the Batmobile slams into him, sending him several yards back into shipping containers. Bane stands growling in anger as the vehicle fires rounds of rubber bullets. Suddenly, Batman is ejected from the Batmobile and drops down on Bane, punching him hard enough to rip another hole in the mask. Bane swings multiple times but is unable to hit the Caped Crusader. Batman jumps back and throws a batarang over Bane’s head, watching as it flies off into the distance. Bane takes his chance, grabbing Batman and lifting him up, squeezing him like a tube of yogurt.

“DIE!!” Bane screams in his face as Batman pushes against his chest with his feet.

“Not today, Bane,” Batman groans as he kicks Bane back and frees himself.

As Batman lands on his feet, the batarang he threw returns and explodes upon contacting Bane’s back. Batman dives behind cover as Bane is blown back into the streets.

The cops and vigilantes move in towards the unconscious supervillain, watching as his ruptured pack leaks and he reverts back to his normal form. Gordon lets out a sigh of relief as an armored van arrives.

“Don’t drag your feet!” Gordon snaps. “Restrain him and get the bastard to Arkham!”

Gordon looks to Batman as the S.W.A.T. team begins to move Bane. Once again, Batgirl tries not to allow Gordon to look her in the face. Jason now realizes why as he stands in front of her.

“It’s about time,” Gordon says, greeting Batman.

“I was preoccupied,” Batman replies. “Which is why I sent these two. Clearly, they can hold their own.”

“They’re just kids,” Gordon says, sticking his hands in his jacket pockets. “Speaking of which, I need to get home to check on my daughter. Montoya! You’re taking over!”

“Yessir, Commissioner,” Renee Montoya, now wearing a detective shield, replies from a squad car.

Robin can’t help but smile at the familiar officer, now detective. Sure, they’ve only met once on the night she saved him from the Red Hood Gang but the night is a strong memory for him.  _ The only good cop in this city _ , Jason thinks.  _ Glad she got a promotion. _ Batgirl watches nervously as Gordon walks to his car.

“Batman, I’d love to stay…” she says. “But…”

“Go ahead,” Batman says. “I’m sure you can beat him home.”

“Thanks, Bats,” she nods. “And it was great meeting you, Robin.”

“Yeah,” Robin smiles as he watches her leave. “It was good meeting you too.”

“You know she’s two years older than you, Robin,” Batman says as they watch Bane being loaded into a van.

“Okay? I don’t see your point.”

“And she’s dating Dick.”

“I- oh… that’s…”

“It’s nothing you need to be embarrassed of,” Batman says. “ She-”

“I don;t know what you’re talking about, “ Robin crosses his arms. “I don’t need this lecture or therapy session or whatever this is. I’m fine, Batman. We're going to follow Bane to Arkham?”

“Yes, we are,” Batman says sternly.

Without saying another word, Robin walks off and gets into the passenger seat of the Batmobile, removing his domino mask as he sighs. He crosses his arms as he puts his feet up on the dash, waiting for Batman.


	8. Dynamic Trio

A lone teenager sits alone on a balcony of Wayne Manor, watching the sunrise past Gotham City in the distance. Jason sighs as he rests his feet on the metal railings, closing his eyes for a few moments. He winces as he touches his recovering black eye.  _ I always thought being Robin would… be nothing but exciting _ , Jason thinks.  _ Of course I knew it would be hard. It’s a job after all, but… these psychos… their files don’t do them any justice. _ Jason shakes his head before leaving and going downstairs.

Jason finds his way down to the ground floor and navigates to the den. He glances up at the Waynes’ portrait above the cold fireplace before scowling slightly.

“Alfred?” Jason says at a normal volume. “Bruce?”

After hearing no response, he walks to the wooden globe and opens it, revealing several aged bottles of liquor. He presses his lips as he stares at it.

“Jason?” a voice says from behind.

Several weeks ago, Batman and Robin helped escort Bane to Arkham Island. Robin sat next to Batman in the Batmobile in silence, wincing as the pain in his side became more obvious.

“Robin.”

“I’ll be fine, Batman,” Robin replied.

“I was going to say,” Batman said. “It was good that you held off Bane. Doctor Bastian wouldn’t have survived otherwise.”

“Wow, thanks for the immense praise, Bruce,” Robin sighed.

“However,” he glared. “I  _ told _ you to not engage. Bane could have killed you. Both of you. You-”   
“You could have helped from the start,” Robin snapped. “You were busy sucking off a bunch of those rich jerks. It was nothing but a party of wealthy, entitled, corrupt bastards.”   
“Jason-”

“You always tell me that you aren’t like those people,” Jason continued. “That you aren’t cut from the same cloth that suffocates Park Row. But you are, Bruce. The only difference is instead of getting drunk in a nightclub, you beat people into comas. You-”

“Robin!” Batman yelled, sending fear into Jason’s core and shutting him up. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you need to cut it out. Now. Understand?”

“Yes, Batman,” Jason said, scowling out the window.

Eventually, the prison transport and the Batmobile arrived on Arkham Island, passing through the old iron gates. Jason noted that the insane asylum was much more imposing in person, as if it was ripped straight out of a Stephen King thriller. The old, industrial era building stood tall as thunder rolled in the distance. Jason put his mask back on as the Batmobile came to a stop in front of Arkham Asylum.

The Dynamic Duo left their vehicle, walking with Bane’s police escort. The Santa Priscan native was strapped to a gurney pushed by a S.W.A.T. member. They soon entered the front doors, being greeted by Arkham security. Robin looked around nervously as Bane was pushed down the long entrance hall until they met an Asian bearded man in a lab coat. He smiled widely with his arms behind his back, peering at the vigilantes behind red tinted circular glasses.

“Batman and Robin,” the man said smoothly. “Welcome. I see you have brought a gift.”

“Hello, Professor Strange,” Batman said.

“His  _ name _ is Strange?” Robin mumbled under his breath.

“Director Arkham said you would have a cell prepared,” Batman continued.

“Yes, we do,” Strange replied. “Come. It’s in our new maximum security wing.”

Professor Strange lead them through the asylum, passing the cafeteria and recreation area. They slowly moved through the cell blocks as Robin observed his surroundings. He glanced into one cell, spotting Edward Nygma wearing a grey Arkham uniform using some stolen chalk to draw dozens of question marks on the wall. Nearby was another one where Man-Bat, wearing just gray sweatpants, screeched and clawed at the cell door. Next to him was Victor Zsasz who sat against the wall in a straight jacket. His dead eyes made Jason look away immediately, after noticing what must have been a dozen tally marks carved into his face.

Soon, they approached a large metal door, labeled “Restricted: Alpha Clearance Only”. Professor Strange pressed his ID up to a scanner, allowing the door to open up. The group walked through the winding hallways, passing the occasional room protected by four guards. Jason noticed a clear cell where Clayface sat on the floor, reading what looked like a copy of  _ Hamlet _ . The next cell over contained a green-skinned woman lying in a cot, looking exhausted and angry. Robin frowns, identifying her as Poison Ivy.

Further down the halls, they stopped at a large cell with plexiglass walls multiple inches thick, reinforced by metal bars. He guards pushed Bane inside as the S.W.A.T. team had their weapons trained on him. The guards unstrapped Bane and, with help from medics over several minutes, removed the venom equipment and body armor. In the end, Bane was left in his cell without any of his gear. He sat weakly on his cot, glaring at Batman and Robin. Robin found him more intimidating without the mask on. Bane had a dead look in his eyes, a shaved head, and a chiseled jaw.

“You’re sure it can hold him,” Batman wondered.

“Of course, Batman,” Professor Strange stated. “We used to hold Waylon Jones in there, after all.”

“Didn’t he escape?” Robin questioned.

“Yes, but he took advantage of a blackout,” Strange replied. “We’ve since corrected these flaws. It will hold him.”   
“No cage will hold me forever,” Bane said as he stood. “When I escape, I  _ will _ come for you. Memory…”

Bane walked up to the glass, staring at Batman from only a few inches away.

“...or no memory,” Bane scowled. “I  _ will _ break you.”

“Enjoy your stay, Bane,” Batman said emotionlessly. “Keep an eye on him, Strange.”

“Of course,” Strange said, smiling at the new patient.

Soon enough, Batman and Robin departed from the asylum in silence. Eventually, the Batmobile returned to the Batcave, driving through the waterfall and stopping on one of the rotating platforms. As the vehicle came to a stop, Jason opened the door and climbed out with a sigh.

Snapping back to the present, Jason turns around with the bottle of liquor in hand to see the owner of the voice. Standing in the doorway, leaning against the wooden frame, is a pale and freckled teenager. His red hair is short but messy, nearly in his emerald eyes. He wears dark joggers and a long sleeve shirt with the logo for the Star City Rangers.

“Roy,” Jason says a little caught off guard. “What’s up?”

“Did you plan on sharing?” Roy asks, crossing his arms with a smirk.

“With you? Sure,” Jason smiles.

Jason and Roy leave together, sitting down on the balcony to Jason’s room.

The pair share the liquor as they watch the sunrise together. Jason taps his foot rapidly against the metal railing as Roy hands the glass back to him. The older boy looks over to Jason, raising a brow. Jason looks back after taking a gulp of the drink.

“How’s Dick?” Jason asks eventually.

“I don’t know,” Roy replies. “I haven’t been in to see him yet. Don’t want to disturb Bruce, you know?”

“Yeah, I get it.”

“Look, you did great last night,” Roy says. “You held your own against-”

“Dick still got hurt,” Jason sighs. “And I couldn’t help him.”

“Batman was there too,” Roy points out, propping his feet up. “So was I.”

Roy hands the bottle to Jason who continues to down the alcohol.

The night before, Jason trained in the Batcave with Alfred. The two sit across from each other on metal chairs near the Batcomputer.

“Excuse me, sir,” Alfred says in a New England accent. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

“Oh, you’re mistaken,” Jason replies. “I’m where I need to be.”   
“Who are you?”

“Jonathan Wooley. I’m the new custodian.”

“You’re a little young.”

“I’m part of the trainee program.”

“Can I see an ID?”

“That’s a little insulting, isn’t it?” Jason said, clenching his jaw.

“Master Jason,” Alfred said in his normal voice.

“What? That was perfect! I- the jaw?”

“The jaw,” Alfred nodded. “You need to find a way to mask your tells.”   
“Obviously this was practice,” Jason sighed. “In real life, I doubt they would have noticed it.”

“If anything, they would be more diligent,” Alfred informed. “If your cover is suspected, they will do whatever they must to uncover the truth.”

“I guess,” Jason shrugged. “Let’s be honest, though. Bruce is never going to send me undercover.”

“You never know, Master Jason,” he said as they stood.

“He’s right!” a third voice said.

The two looked towards the stairs to the study as Dick Grayson walked down. Dick wore a light jacket over a button down shirt and jeans, carrying a duffel bag over his shoulder. Jason smirked at his adoptive brother, having not seen him in weeks.

“How’s the acting class, Littlewing?” Dick smirked once he arrived, ruffling Jason’s hair.

“I doubt I’ll be on Broadway anytime soon,” Jason shrugged with a chuckle.

“Master Grayson,” Alfred smiled, hugging the teen. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

“I wish it was under better circumstances,” Dick sighed, placing the bag down on a table. “I need to talk to you guys. Bruce included.”

“Why didn’t you call?” Bruce’s voice echoed from the side as he came up from working on the Batmobile.

Bruce wore a grey tank top and black track pants. Grease was smudged on his hands and shirt.

“You wouldn’t have answered,” Dick says bluntly without meeting his old mentor’s eyes.

“Well, what is it?” Jason said, cutting the tense silence.

“I was patrolling in Bludhaven and responded to a report of shots fired,” Dick begun as he approached the Batcomputer, inserting a dongle into the station. “By the time I got there, I was too late.”

The Batcomputer displayed a series of images, all somewhat gruesome. The images depict the aftermath of what was obviously a gang war. Over a dozen bodies laid dead on the ground surrounded by empty bullet casings. The massacre was set inside of an old warehouse, the crates stained with blood. Another set of pictures showed the victims, revealing many of them wearing puffy coats and beanies- each of them adorned with the simplistic logo of a penguin. Some of the other bodies wear black and white clothing split down the middle.

“Penguin and Two-Face,” Jason said, crossing his arms.

“It’s a gang war, from what I can tell,” Dick said.

“Why would they be in Bludhaven?” Bruce questioned.

“To stay out of your radius, I’m guessing,” Dick said. “The last shipment to the warehouse was meant for Chester Miranda. Barbara helped me check it out and she found that he doesn’t exist.”

“But Cobblepot’s middle name is Chesterfield,” Bruce nodded.

“And his mother’s name was Miranda,” Dick finished. “Whatever he sent his men to get, it’s not there anymore. No matter which side got it, it’s war.”

Bruce approached the Batcomputer, bringing up maps of Gotham and Bludhaven side-by-side. After some furious typing, the gang territories were laid over the maps. It showed Gotham City split up by the Falcone Crime Family, Two-Face, Penguin, and the Joker. Meanwhile, Bludhaven is under the influence of the Maroni Crime Family.

“It has to be over territory,” Bruce pondered. “Neither of them would start a war over a shipment.”

“That doesn’t exactly narrow it down,” Dick snapped. “Together, they control all of Northern Gotham. How are we supposed to find them?”

“We don’t need to,” Jason said. “If Penguin wants to take out Two-Face, I know where he’s going. Park Row.”   
“Why do you say that?” Dick asked.

“The old Solomon Wayne Courthouse,” Jason said simply. “When I lived in the Row, that’s where he would operate out of most of the time. Those pictures made it look like Cobblepot got hit hard. If he wants real payback, he’ll hit the Row.”

Jason looked up to see Bruce staring at him. Jason frowned and crossed his arms, raising a brow.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Bruce shook his head. “I’m just impressed.”

“If we’re going to intervene, we need to be prepared,” Dick stated. “We-”

“ _ We _ ?” Bruce asked. “You left, Dick. You didn’t want to be part of this.”

“Seriously, Bruce?” Dick sighed. “You want to do this here? Now?”

“We’re not doing anything.”   
“I didn’t leave because I didn’t want to be here,” Dick crossed his arms. “I left because I was becoming too much like  _ you _ . You’ve lost your compass, Bruce.”

“Dick, watch your-”

“Both of you, stop,” Alfred said firmly. “Master Grayson brought this to our attention and if we do not act, many will surely die.”

“He’s right,” Jason said. “I have a lot of bad memories back home, but… there are good people there. They don’t need to live in a warzone, too.”

“Then let’s get moving,” Bruce said very reluctantly.

Later in the night, Batman and Robin found themselves on an apartment rooftop overlooking Park Row. Several blocks in the distance, the old and rotten courthouse named for Bruce’s grandfather sat in a more rundown area of the neighborhood. The door to the stairwell opens behind them and Commissioner Gordon walks up to them. The cop wears a bulletproof vest over a white button down shirt, opposed to his normal trench coat.

“Jim,” Batman greeted.

“Batman,” Jim nodded. “Robin. My people are a few blocks back, ready to mobilize. Are you sure this tip is good?”

“We’re sure,” Robin replied. “Dent wouldn’t have any problem fortifying it.”

“It’s just you two?” Gordon said, lighting a cigar. “This is bound to be a war.”   
“There’s one more,” the original Robin said, walking up from behind.

“Two of you?” Gordon said, exasperated.

“Double the trouble, Commissioner,” Dick smirked. “It’s good to see you again. I hope you don’t mind, I called in some help. I figured we might need it.”

“I don’t want the Teen Titans involved,” Batman glared.

“It’s just one of them, Batman,” the first Robin snapped.

“Anyway,” Gordon sayid. “We’ll be ready to move whenever Cobblepot’s men arrive.”

“We’ll work on infiltrating the courthouse,” Batman stated. “Hopefully we can get some answers from Dent.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Gordon nodded. “Keep on your toes out there.”

The three reached the courthouse in no time, the two Robins following close behind the Caped Crusader. The teenagers looked nearly identical in their suits, the only difference being that Dick’s mask was green and Jason’s was red. Though Jason liked to ignore it, Grayson stood several inches taller than himself and had a stronger build.

“What do we hope to do here?” Jason asked. “We’ll be caught in the crossfire, surely.”

“If we can take down Dent, we can catch Cobblepot by surprise,” Batman replied.

The Robins shared a similar look, prompting the teens to shrug.

The Dynamic Trio grappled up to the rooftop of the courthouse, careful to avoid the guards on the ground in black and white attire. They began to make their way towards the collapsed section of the roof that offered an entrance to the upper floors of the pre-war building. However, as they approached the entrance, two Two-Face thugs exit the hole on patrol of the roof.

“Bro, we’re gonna fall,” one of them said nervously.

“Nah, we’ll be fine. Just don’t stand by the edge,” the other said, resting his rifle on his shoulder.

Batman whipped two batarangs from his belt, ready to stop the criminals before he’s spotted. However, before the Dark Knight could strike, two projectiles flew out from behind the vigilantes and struck the criminals. The two fell back, seemingly knocked out immediately. The three looked back to see the source but relaxed upon seeing a teenager dressed in red and yellow, standing upon the statue of Solomon Wayne. He jumped down with his bow in hand as he brushed his hair away from his eyes.

“Speedy,” Dick grinned. “Glad you could make it.”

“Sorry I’m late, boys,” the archer said, tipping his yellow cap. “Batman, good to see you. And nice to meet you, new Robin.”   
“I- you too, Speedy,” Jason greeted.

“Is Arrow here with you?” Batman asked.

“No, I just wanted to give Robin a hand,” Speedy replied. “I’ll help however I can.”

With that in order, the vigilantes moved inside stealthily. Speedy and Dick separated from Batman and Robin, the Titans taking the upper levels as the Dynamic Duo moved to the ground floor.

“So, what’s the plan?” Jason asked as they stepped through the dilapidated building.

“We need to get into a good position and wait for Robin and Speedy to arrive at a vantage point,” Batman said quietly. “Once they do, we need to move on Dent and question him. We don’t have the time to waste.”

The duo moved towards the largest courtroom in silence, approaching two guards by the open doorway. In unison, the vigilantes choked them out and dragged the bodies around the corner. They returned to the doorway just in time to see Two-Face enter the room from the opposite end. The dozens of Two-Face thugs clapped from their seats as the crime boss returned.

At a first glance, Jason didn’t realize it was Two-Face as he came in from the left of the room. With his right side facing the young vigilante, Dent looks like an average guy with slicked, dark hair and a firm jawline. However, Jason refocused immediately as Dent sat at the Judge’s bench, fully facing the room. Contrary to his right side, Harvey’s left side is horribly scarred- more so than the pictures made Robin think. Two-Face was fully bald on that side, that portion of his body nearly burned and scalded to the bone. No skin is present, just scarred muscle tissue.

“Order!” The ex-District Attorney called out, banging the gavel.

“Order in the damn court!” Two-Face snapped at his men, in a much scarier and gravelly voice than before.

“Robin and Speedy,” Batman said quietly, pressing a finger to his ear. “Position.”

“We’re above you, Batman,” Dick replied. “We’re ready to- tzzztssh.”

Batman and Robin winced as the loud static startled them. Batman attempted to restabilize the signal to no avail.

“Penny-One,” Batman said. “I’ve lost Robin 1.”

“Robin 1,” Jason scoffed, crossing his arms.

“I still see his biometrics, sir,” the voice of Alfred replied. “He’s above you with a raised heart rate.”

“Robin, stay here,” Batman said as he stood.   
“What?” Jason protested. “If Robin’s in trouble-”

“Stay,” Batman snapped before leaving up the stairs.

“I’m not a dog,” Robin scowled, crossing his arms.

Robin remained by the courtroom, just as ordered. He managed to stay in the shadows while still keeping an eye on Two-Face as he updated his men on their position. Apparently, Cobblepot’s shipments were weapons from the balck market. When Two-Face learned about Penguin moving in on Two-Face’s market, he attacked. Now, he expected Cobblepot to attack in retaliation. Robin was sure to make mental notes of everything he heard.

“-the little freak has another thing coming!” Two-Face called out, raising a fist in the air. “Now for our next move…”

As he stood, Two-Face retrieved his silver dollar from his coat pocket, making a show of it.

“Heads, we fortify Park Row,” Harvey said calmly.

“Tails, we hit the armory and blow the bastards to kingdom come!” Two-Face shouted, getting cheers from his gang.

Two-Face flipped the coin high in the air and it soon landed in his hand. However, before he had a chance to look at the results, all of the power in the building shut off, putting everyone into darkness.

“No, no!” Two-Face screamed out as his people mumbled. “What did it say!? Where is it!? Where!?”

Jason worked as quickly as he could to activate the night-vision built into his mask, fumbling with the hidden controls on the side.

“Penny-One, what’s going on?” Robin questioned.

“H-ttststtsss- an-tsttttssssth- ke,” the static filled comms replied.

“Something’s jamming us,” Jason said to himself.

Just before he managed to turn the night vision on, Jason heard a series of gruesome noises. The first was something large and heavy crashing down onto the floor of the courtroom, followed by two other crashes. The next was… awful. Jason heard the sound of a blade tearing through flesh. The sound of blood splattering and bodies dropping amidst screams in pain. Two-Face very briefly illuminated the bench by firing wildly.

Robin nearly threw up once he managed to see in the dark. Many bodies laid across the courtroom sliced up and dismantled with blood splattered all around. Sitting against a wall was Speedy, beaten up and unconscious, but alive. On the ground, Batman slowly got to his feet, his suit scuffed up and damaged. Nearby, Robin popped up into a fighting stance, facing the obvious attacker. The man was tall and muscular, wearing a suit covering every inch of his body. It was difficult for Jason to tell who it was, since everything was a shade of green. The man held a sword in one hand, his other hand hovering over a gun on his hip.

“Slade…” Robin glared. “I thought we sorted this out.”

‘ _ Slade? _ ’ Jason thought. ‘ _ Oh, not good. _ ’

“You thought we sorted out you murdering my son?” Deathstroke snapped in a gravelly voice, kicking Robin back as he dodged an attack from Batman. “Don’t flatter yourself, kid. Lucky for you, I’m on a contract.”

“Cobblepot hired you?” Batman demanded.

“You know I don’t give that up, Bat,” Slade snapped, slashing his blade.

Before the attack could make contact, Jason threw an explosive birdarang into Deathstroke’s back, making him stumble. Jason charged and hit Slade with a series of attacks, though the assassin managed to deflect a kick to the face and knock Jason back.

“So, there’s two of you now,” Slade growled. “I don’t have time for this.”

Slade managed to grapple Dick, placing his foot against Dick’s back as he pulled his arms back. Dick screamed in pain as a resounding crack was heard. Batman briefly managed to restrain Deathstroke before the assassin stabbed himself through his stomach, stabbing Batman in the process and getting free.

“Batman! Robin!” Jason shouted as he ran to his fallen family.

Dick laid on the ground in excruciating pain as Batman rested on one knee, holding pressure on the wound in his side. As Jason checked on them and Speedy, Slade ran across the room towards Two-Face, who remained at the bench with his gun in his hand.

“Robin, stay here,” Batman groaned. “I’ll-”

“No,” Jason snapped. “If I was with you before, this wouldn’t have happened. You’d only get in my way.”   
“Listen to me,” Batman said angrily. “You can’t-”

“I’m sorry,” Jason said quickly before hitting Batman hard in a pressure point, sending the weakened Dark Knight into unconsciousness.

Jason used a sealing agent from his belt to temporarily patch up Batman’s wound before running after Slade.

Jason chased Deathstroke as the assassin opened fire, pelting the bench with bullets as Dent took cover and several of his men died. Jason threw a series of bladed birdarangs into Slade’s back before grappling up to gain ground on him. Slade fired behind him wildly, missing due to Robin being above him.

The mercenary vaulted up over the bench, grabbing Two-Face by the neck. Two-Face attempted to fight back to no avail, unable to escape the iron grip.

“I have a message for you,” Slade growledas Robin landed on a support beam over his head, unbeknownst to him.

“Let me go, please!” Dent begged.

“I’ll blow your brains apart!” Two-Face threatened as Slade unsheathed a combat knife.

“You shouldn’t have screwed with the Penguin, Dent,” Slade said firmly, raising the knife.

Suddenly, as Robin dropped down behind Deathstroke, the teenager threw a birdarang with a bat-rope attached. The bat-rope wrapped firmly around Deathstroke’s arm as Jason dropped down and yanked hard, somewhat restraining him and forcing him to stab himself in the arm.

“Dent, get out of here!” Robin yelled through gritting teeth as Deathstroke released his grip on Two-Face.

Two-Face looked at the two as he retrieved his silver dollar, flipping it in the air. After looking at the result, he ran out with what was left of his people.

In a sudden movement, Deathstroke cut through the bat-rope, flipped around, and roundhouse kicked Jason in the jaw. Jason stumbled backwards against the wooden stand as Slade pressed him against the wood hard enough to make it crack open, shoving his forearm against Jason’s trachea. Struggling to breathe, Jason grabbed the gavel and hit Slade hard in the side of the head before kicking him back. Slade, dazed and wounded, grabs his gun and fires it off at Jason's chest before kicking him through the wooden stand and onto the courtroom floor.

Jason laid on the ground with the wind knocked out of him as Slade escaped the building with ease. As the police sirens echoed louder and louder, Jason felt at his chest, picking up the crunched bullet. He let out a sigh of relief, thankful that his armor held up as he drifted off into unconsciousness.

On the balcony, Jason and Roy finish off the liquor bottle together. Jason’s vision begins to sway a little but not enough where he’s a mess. Meanwhile, Roy seems mostly unphased.

“Jason. Speedy,” the voice of Bruce Wayne says.

“Eh, you can just say Roy, Mister Wayne,” Roy says as the two turn to meet the billionaire in the doorway.

“What do you need, Bruce?” Jason says, hiding the empty bottle behind his back.

“I- are you okay?” Bruce asks, throwing Jason off guard.

“Yeah,” Jason shrugs, not meeting his eyes. “All things considered. Why?”

“Dick’s awake,” he states. “He wanted to speak with you both.”

Jason and Roy follow after Jason discreetly throws the bottle off of the balcony.

The pair follows Bruce in silence through the halls of Wayne Manor. Eventually, they reach the bedroom at the opposite end of the hall from Jason’s room. Alfred nods to them as they approach, looking at Jason.

“Master Bruce, I’d like to check Master Jason’s bandages before he goes inside,” Alfred says calmly.

“Alright, just don’t take too long, Alfred,” Bruce says as he and Roy enter the room.

“My bandages are fine, Alfred,” Jason says. “I-”

“Let’s go for a walk, Jason,” Alfred says, tugging him by the arm.

With a hand remaining on Jason’s shoulder, Alfred and Jason walk down the hall, reaching the open area overlooking the entrance hall below.

“Are you alright, Jason?” Alfred asks, looking at the boy with concern.

“Yeah, I said my bandages are fine,” Jason replies.

“Jason, you know that isn’t what I meant.”   
  


Jason sighs after a few moments of silence, looking up at Alfred.

“It was… I was scared, Alfred,” Jason says. “It was- the bodies were everywhere. The blood… and S- Slade was a monster.”

“I understand.”

“No, I- I should be fine, Alfred,” Jason says, angry at himself. “I’ve been doing this for months! I should be used to this stuff. I should be better. Stronger, even. I-”   
“Jason,” Alfred says, hugging him tight as the teen silently cried. “I was an adult when I served my country and I barely held myself together as well as you have. You turn fifteen in a few weeks and you absolutely shouldn’t have to go through this. For your age, you are incredibly strong.”

“Dick got hurt,” Jason points out, pulling away. “So did Bruce and Roy. And I stopped Bruce-”

“You may have saved his life, Jason,” Alfred says. “Slade Wilson is one of the most deadly men on Earth. You are lucky you lasted as long as you did and I am so proud of you for picking your battles and stopping Master Bruce. I'm proud of you for  _ helping _ Two-Face.”

“Really?” Jason smiles.

“Of course,” Alfred smirks. “Master Bruce still has… “baggage” I suppose. Things he has been unable to accept. This stops him from being completely open- even with me. I know it bothers you, but know thta he does care.”

“You’re the best, Pennyworth,” Jason smiles, hugging the older man.

“Come,” Alfred says. “Let’s see Master Richard.”

Jason, feeling much better about the night thanks to his surrogate father, returns to Dick’s room with Alfred. They step inside slowly, finding Roy sitting on the bed and Bruce sitting in a chair. Roy smirks and winks to Jason, confusing the Boy Wonder. Dick sits up in the bed shirtless, though his abdomen is wrapped in bandages and his arm is in a sling.

“Littlewing,” Dick smiles weakly. “How’re you feeling?”

“Feeling a bit better, actually,” Jason replies, glancing at the framed Haley’s Circus poster on the wall. “What about you?”

“Oh, I’ve been better,” he chuckles, causing him to wince. “But that’s why I wanted to talk to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, thankfully my back isn’t broken,” he says. “But I’m pretty messed up. Meaning, I won’t be able to get back in the field for a few weeks. That also means, the Titans are going to be in need of some interim leadership.”

“Roy’s getting a promotion,” Jason smiles. “Nice. You earned it, Speedy.”

“Not me, Jason,” Roy says, putting his hands.

Jason furrows his brow in confusion, looking to Bruce who has an unreadable look in his eyes. He then looks to Dick upon the realization.

“Oh,” Jason says wide eyed. “Dick-”

“Now, hear me out-” Grayson defends.

“Dick that’s a bad idea,” Jason says. “I- I can’t-”   
“Yes you can,” Dick says. “I know you, Jay. You’re Robin just as much as I am and that’s just what the Teen Titans needs.”   
“Dick, I-”   
“You need to learn how to work as a team, Jason,” Bruce speaks up. “You need responsibility.”

“So this is a punishment,” Jason crosses his arms.

“No,” Dick says, shooting daggers at Bruce. “I need you to do this for me, Jason.”

“Alright,” Jason sighs. “For you.”

“Welcome to the Titans, Jason,” Roy smirks.

Jason nods as the anxiety spreads through his body, feeling uncomfortable with all eyes on him.


	9. Running with the Titans

Jason stands by a helipad with a duffle bag slung over his shoulder, waving as a black helicopter piloted by Alfred lifts off. He lets out a nervous sigh as he looks around him at the island covered in foliage. Jason walks forward down the concrete path between the trees, gripping the bag until his knuckles turn white.  _ It’s fine. You can do this _ , Jason tells himself.  _ They’re just people. _

Jason exits the treeline into a large clearing and comes to a stop, looking up at the ten story, t-shaped building in the center of the island. He lets out a nervous sigh as he continues his approach to the entrance. He walks up the concrete steps to push open the glass doors of the lobby.

On one of the upper levels of the tower, a red crescent couch sits in front of a large TV. Behind the sitting area is a small,but well stocked, kitchen. Two teenagers sit on the couch playing a video game on the TV. One of them is a skinny fourteen year old with green skin, green eyes, and green hair. He wears a white tank top and black workout shorts. He sits on the back of the couch as the other boy remains focused on the game from a central seat on the couch. The other boy is a black, sixteen year old who wears a red hoodie, despite much of his body being cybernetic enhancements.

“Come on…” the black kid mumbles.

“...come on…” the other boy says, licking his lips. “You’re going down, Vic.”

“You’re the one in last, Gar!” the other says grinning.

“Not for long!” Garfield says, suddenly morphing into an octopus.

As a green cephalopod, Garfield block’s Vic’s eyes with his tentacles while still holding his controller with another pair of tentacles.

“AH! My eyes!” Vic calls out, attempting to pry the suckers off of his face.

“Hey!” Roy Harper calls out from the kitchen, wearing a pasta-stained apron. “No powers in the living room!”

“Yes!” Gar cheers as he wins, letting go of Vic.

Vic jumps up as Gar slithers into his shorts before morphing back into himself.

“You cheated, man!” Vic says, morphing his right hand into an energy cannon.

“You could have hacked the game!” Gar says, laughing as he puts his tank top back on. “I had to make it fair!”

“Make it fair!?” Vic says, throwing his hands into the air. “I can’t believe-”   
  


As the two continue to fight and argue over the game, a tall brunette walks into the room. She wears a baggy Superman shirt and skinny jeans, accessorizing the look with Greek-style silver arm guards.

“Hey, Harper,” she smirks. “How’s lunch coming along?”

“It  _ was _ pretty peaceful, Donna,” Roy chuckles. “Where are the others?”

“Joey’s painting by the cliff’s and Kory’s doing laps behind the tower,” Donna explains.

“Could you bring them in?” Roy asks. “I’m almost done. And could you…”

Roy gestures to Vic and Gar, making Donna roll her eyes. The teenage copy of Wonder Woman cracks her knuckles as she climbs over the couch.

“-this would be my 100th win!” Vic yells as Gar shifts into a kangaroo.

“Come on relax!” Gar says in a terrible Australian accent. "I-"

Donna vaults over the couch and wedges herself between the two, effortlessly shoving them both onto opposite sides of the couch. Both finally shut up, looking at Donna Troy.

“Garfield Logan,” Donna says strictly as she tosses a pillow to the kangaroo. “Change.”

Garfield catches the pillow as the kangaroo before shifting into his normal form. Turning a brighter shade of green, he uses the red pillow to cover his exposed lower regions.

“Donna, listen-”

“Shush,” the Amazonian sighs. “Gar, no powers in the living area. That goes for you too, Vic. If you want to spar, head to the training room. You guys are best friends. You’re, like,  _ weirdly _ close. Gar, you’re buying pizza tomorrow. Deal?”

“Deal,” the two say in unison.

“Good,” Donna smirks proudly.

She turns towards the balcony overlooking the East side of the tower, seeing a girl with flaming hair flying around. As the girl turns, green sparkles and bright lights expel from her hands.

“Kory!” Donna calls out, cupping her hands around her mouth. “Koriand’r!”   
“Yes, Wonder Girl?” the bubbly girl says, transitioning to a floating position.

“Lunch is almost ready!” she shouts. “Mind telling Jericho?”   
“Of course, Wonder Girl!” she beams before flying towards the cliffs.

“Again, Donna is fine,” Donna mumbles with a slight chuckle.

As Donna walks to the kitchen to assist Roy, the room looks to the elevator at the sound of the ding. The doors slowly open as Jason walks out, putting on the most confident look he can manage.

“Hi, Te- Hi, Titans,” Jason smiles, slightly blushing.

“Jason!” Roy greets happily. “You’re just in time.”

“Roy?” Donna says. “You know this kid?”

“Okay, I’m not a kid,” Jason says firmly, setting his bag down. “I’m Jason Todd. Robin Numero Dos- the Boy Wonder.”

“Oh, right!” Gar says excitedly. “Dick told us about you! Dude, I saw how you took down that pyro guy a few weeks back! It was all over the internet!”

“Oh, Firefly?” Jason chuckles. “That was nothing. I had help.”   
“Ignore him, Boy Wonder,” Donna says with a chuckle. “I’m Donna Troy, the nerd is Garfield Logan.”   
“I wear that title with pride!” Garfield smirks. “And most people just call me Gar.”

“That’s Victor Stone,” Donna gestures to the other teen on the couch.

“You can call me Vic,” Victor says, motioning with a finger gun with a smirk.

“You already know Roy,” Donna continues. “And-”

Donna pauses as the doors to the central, secure elevator opens up on the opposite end of the room from Jason.

Two people step through into the living area, catching everyone’s attention. One is a tall teenage girl with orange skin and fiery hair, her green eyes shining like emeralds. She wears a NASA t-shirt and ripped skinny jeans. The skinny boy beside her has short but messy blonde hair and green eyes. He wears a blue denim jacket and grey sweatpants with paint splattered on it. Jason takes note of a striking scar going across the boy’s neck.

“Ah, here they are,” Donna states. “Guys, this is Jason Todd- the second Robin and our newest Titan. Jason this is Koriand’r- or Kory- and that’s Joseph Wilson. He prefers Joey, though.”

“Greetings and salutations!” Kory grins. “Dick has mentioned you often.”

“Good things, I hope,” Jason chuckles.

“Oh, of course!”

Joey greets Jason with a series of hand signals and motions. Jason is overcome with realization and blushes slightly.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Jason says. “I- I don’t know ASL.”

Joey smiles and nods as his eyes begin to glow. The radio on the table sparks to life, scanning through channels on its own. It lands on a channel of static before clearing up.

“Sorry about that, Jason,” a voice says from the radio. “Hi, it’s me- Joey. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Wow,” Jason says, a little startled. “You must be Jericho.”

“You know our identities?” Vic asks.

“Yeah, sorry,” Jason apologizes. “Dick gave me some files so I could get up to date. You’re Cyborg and you’re Changeling.”

“I was thinking about changing it, but…” Garfield trails off. “Beast Man doesn’t really have a good ring to it.”

“Donna, you’re obviously Wonder Girl,” Jason says. “I already knew you were Speedy, Roy. And Kory, you must be Starfire.”

“I’ll show you to where you’ll be staying,” Donna smirks. “Then we can have lunch, assuming Harper didn’t burn it.”   
“That was one time, Troy!” Roy says defensively.

Jason wipes sweat from his forehead before grabbing his bag and following Donna.

Donna leads the Boy Wonder down the halls of the tenth floor, passing various doors to the rooms belonging to the Teen Titans.

“I always wondered…” Jason says, looking out one of the floor-to-ceiling windows. “How did you guys get this place? An unowned island in the middle of the East River?”

“It was a nature reserve owned by the Martha Wayne Foundation,” Donna explains. “Most of the island has stayed that way, except for the area around the tower, of course.”

“Ah, that checks out,” Jason rolls his eyes.

“The sun never sets on Bruce Wayne’s ego, right?” Donna chuckles. “At least that’s what Dick’s been saying a lot.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to see what he means by that,” Jason says coldly as they stop at a door.

Jason steps inside the room with Donna, setting his duffle bag onto the bed. He gently picks up a framed photograph of Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon at a school dance. Jason sets it down, turning to the back wall where various weapons are on display, including a bo staff, nunchucks, daggers, and birdarangs.

“How is he, by the way?” Donna asks.

“He’s okay,” Jason shrugs, looking at the Amazonian. “He could definitely be in worse shape. Deathstroke did a number on him. He’ll be okay though.”

“That’s good, at least,” Donna says as the two leave into the hall.

“Just give him a month,” Jason says reassuringly. “He’ll be back and I’ll be out of your hair.”

“I’m sure you’ll fit in just fine,” Donna smirks.

The pair return to the rest of the Teen Titans, all enjoying a surprisingly good meal together.

Over the next few days, Jason enjoys some well needed downtime. On his first day, he takes a lengthy tour of Titans Tower’s many levels. On his second and third day, the Titans show him around New York, bringing him to their favorite hangout spots.

Jason enjoys a weekend on Coney Island with Gar, Vic, and Kory, all four competing for a variety of prizes. Days later, Roy and Donna walk him through the biggest tourist attractions in the city. Jericho manages to teach Jason a few important signals in ASL while showing him some scenic areas of Titans Island.

The next day is spent training, allowing Jason to get a decent grasp on the skills of his new teammates. The training room takes up the entire sixth floor of Titans Tower and has some of the most advanced technology from Queen Consolidated and WayneTech to truly put the Titans to the test. The Teen Titans all stand together in the center of the training area, all equipped with their suits and gear.

“Vic?” Robin says, cracking his knuckles. “Let’s hit it. Simulation B17.”

“Booyah,” Cyborg smirks, entering code using the controls on his wrist.

The room begins to shift as obstacles come from the floor, walls, and ceiling. Just as some heart-pumping music comes out of the speakers, several robots sporting the S.T.A.R. Labs insignia are released from pods that rise from the floor. The one in the center is the largest, standing at seven and a half feet tall, and is armed with an impressive energy cannon.

“Titans, GO!” Robin snaps as the robot raises the cannon. “Cy, W.G, and Jericho- push forward! Star and Changeling, hit the skies! Speedy, let’s flank!”

Changeling morphs into a hawk and takes off into the sky with Starfire, who leaves scorch marks on the ground as she leaps into the air. Cyborg, Wonder Girl, and Jericho charge down the center of the room, dodging energy blasts as they run. Meanwhile, Robin moves down the left of the obstacles as Speedy takes the right side.

Jericho quickly creates a psionic shield of green energy in front of himself, Wonder Girl, and Cyborg to block an energy blast. The force of the blast sends Jericho onto his back, prompting Wonder Girl to grab his unprotected left arm and yank him behind cover.

“That cannon is too powerful,” Jericho says by projecting his voice through the Titans’ earpieces. “I can’t get much closer.”

“Just stay back and wait for an opening, J,” Wonder Girl says with a nod. “You too, Cyborg.”

“Do not put yourself in too much danger, Wonder Girl!” Starfire says as she flies overhead, dodging targeted blasts from the smaller robots.

Off to the upper right, Starfire flies into the ground, sending a shockwave of cosmic energy and tearing several bots apart. As Kory continues to rip through robots, Changeling drops from above while letting out a Tarzan yell. He slams into a pair of bots as a gorilla, throwing several chunks at nearby enemies. Changeling begins to screech like an ape as two bots jump onto his back, pulling him down. Suddenly, two arrows fly out from behind and kill the two robots.

“I got your back, Kong!” Speedy jokes with smirk.

“Donkey or King?!” Changeling says, shifting into a cheetah to avoid incoming fire.

“You’re definitely closer to DK!” Roy says, dodging flying debris. “You just need a tie!”

“Behind you!” Robin cuts in, swinging from his batrope above Speedy and throwing razor birdarangs at a bot.

Jason lands behind Speedy, kicking the head off of a robot. The two fight back to back, Jason throwing birdarangs and delivering punches and kicks as Roy fires off a series of arrows.

“Nice moves, Robin,” Roy compliments, dodging an energy blast with Jason.

“I was gonna say the same… thing,” Jason says as the large bot aims at them.

Suddenly, Starfire flies in and grabs the two vigilantes just in time. She pulls the two up into the air as the bot fires on their previous location. She flies back to the center of the room, placing them down by Wonder Girl and the rest of the Titans. They are quickly joined by Changeling in rat form, quickly shifting back to normal.

“The big one is no joke,” Robin says. “We have to focus on it. Wonder Girl, do you think your bracelets could handle that cannon?”

“Easily,” Wonder Girl nods.

“Okay…” Robin says thinking. “W.G., you take point. Cy and Jericho, follow her from behind cover. Strike as soon as she pulls back. Everyone else, sneak around the sides and wait for Wonder Girl to act.”

Everyone nods and moves out in silence as the large bot continues to approach their position. Speedy fires a flashbang arrow to temporarily blind the last robot, covering the team’s movements.

Jericho takes cover to the right of the central path as Cyborg takes the left. Wonder Girl lets out a nervous sigh before leaving her protective cover, coming face to face with the robot and slowly walking towards it.

“Come on, you and me,” shesmirks. “Are you really going to shoot a girl?”

The robot stops walking and raises the cannon just as the hidden Titans get in position behind and to the sides of the robot. Donna Troy, truly showing off her Amazonian heritage, crosses her bracelets just as the energy blast fires her way. She is knocked back but remains on her feet, tearing up the metal floor under her feet.

Wonder Girl scowls as she pushes forward, sending the blast back at the synthetic. As the Amazon struggles to stay on her feet, Cyborg fires off a barrage of missiles from a compartment in his shoulder. The robot stops firing as it stumbles just before Jericho vaults over the barricade and extends his hands, sending an extremely powerful blast of psychic and telekinetic energy at the enemy. Much of the metal plating flies off of the robot, taking wires and components with them. Some of the platings actually seem to disintegrate.

The rest of the Teen Titans take advantage of the weakened robot as Jericho falls to his knees, lightheaded. Robin throws a trio of explosive birdarangs, tearing into the weakened armor and making it stumble. As it stumbles, Speedy runs by and slides, firing a tripline arrow and causing the bot to fully lose it’s footing. However, before it could fall completely, Starfire slams into it with a powerful attack of solar energy. Finally, dealing the finishing blow after the enemy falls against a wall, Changeling shifts into a pachycephalosaurus- a dome-skulled dinosaur- and charges the robot, destroying the power core with his thick head. Garfield cheers after shifting back into his normal form.

Upon the destruction of the final robot, the obstacles retract into the walls, ceiling, and floor. Robin and the other Titans return to the center to check on Jericho, who remains on his knees, his eyes glowing green.

“Jericho?” Robin says. “Joey? What’s wrong with him?”   
“He doesn’t have much control over his powers, yet,” Cyborg says, scanning the younger Titan with his red eye. “This happens sometimes if he exerts enough force. Like he’s trapped in his head. He-”

Suddenly, Joey Wilson’s eyes return to normal and he looks around panicked. Donna hugs him, bringing him back up to his feet in the process. The team leaves the mess of robots for now as they head up the elevator, back to the tenth floor.

Once the Titans settle on the large couch, Joey finally decides to communicate. He sits up straight and sighs, catching the room’s attention. The blond boy’s eyes flash green as the stereo clicks on, running through static channels again before stabilizing.

“I saw something while training,” Joey says through the stereo. “After I unleashed the telekinetic blast- I… had a vision.”

“Are you sure?” Kory asks sweetly. “That’s only happened a few times before.”   
“I think so,” Joey nods. “It was far too clear to be anything else.”

“I’m sorry I’m out of the loop, but…” Jason begins. “What do you mean ‘vision’?”

“I’ve found that, due to my powers,” Joey explains. “I can sometimes receive visions through time and space. The first time, I saw a glimpse of the past. The next, I saw the future. Last time, I saw the present somewhere else. I saw what was going on at that moment on the other side of the world. I can’t control it, really. Like most of my powers.”

“Can you describe what you saw?” Jason asks.

“He can do more than that,” Changeling chuckles. “Buckle up, Todd!”

Suddenly, everyone’s eyes glow green, just like Joey’s, and the team drifts away from reality- venturing into the mind of the son of Deathstroke.

Jason finds Jericho’s mind difficult to describe to say the least. At first, it appears to be a dark and cold forest. The group follows Joey down the path as he attempts to navigate- finding the memory of the vision. The group avoids a river by jumping across the rocks just as a gunshot rings out from nearby. The Titans enter a clearing and stumble upon a wounded deer, bleeding out in the snow. The figures exit the treeline, not noticing the Titans.

One of the figures- an adult man, stands tall with blue eyes and stark white hair. He grips a rifle with one hand as he’s followed by two young boys. The first is an older teenager with short, brown hair. He walks with a smirk as he crosses his arms. The other boy couldn’t be older than twelve, the snow lightly landing on his curly blond hair. He carries a smoking rifle which is clearly difficult for him to keep raised up as tears run down his face. The white haired man stops, taking the blond boy’s gun.

“Nice kill, Joey,” the teen smiles.

“I- I did- we have to help him,” Joey cries out. “Dad, please-”

“Why do you think we came out here, Joseph?” the older man snaps, grabbing a hunting knife from his belt.

“Dad, I-”

“Take the knife,” the man says, shoving the leather grip into his son’s hand as he guides him to the struggling deer.

“Dad, can’t you do it?”   
“Man up,” he snaps, grabbing his son’s hands, making him grip the knife.

‘Let’s keep moving,’ Jericho signs to the group.

As the Titans exit the clearing, the memory ends just as the man- a younger Slade Wilson- forces Joseph to stab the deer.

“Joey,” Donna says slowly. “Are you okay?”

Joey shakes his head as they keep moving through the forest. Suddenly, the forest shifts into a living room riddled with bullet holes and blood. Several men lay on the ground dead as Slade Wilson, now wearing fresh bandages over one eye, shoots the final masked attacker. A thirteen year old Joey Wilson stands next to his mother and brother, coming out from hiding.

“Get out,” Mrs. Wilson snaps.

“Adeline, don’t be ridiculous!” Slade snaps.

“Ridiculous?” Adeline growls, drawing a gun on Slade. “I won’t leave them with  _ you _ ! This is all on your head!”

Adeline fires at Slade as the assassin rushes forward. There’s a sudden flash of light, blinding everyone. Suddenly, young Jericho lays on the ground, clutching his throat as blood rushes from it. Adeline cradles him while Slade stands over them, bloodied knife in his hand as his hand shakes.

None of the Titans are able to say anything really, as they all just feel terrible. Jason thought he had a terrible childhood, until seeing this. He knows this is something that none of them should see. He knows they are only seeing this due to Jericho’s inexperience with his own powers.

The group exits the “back door” of Jericho’s childhood home and almost immediately find themselves in a graveyard, in the middle of a funeral. A coffin is lowered into the grave as a small group of people stand nearby in mourning. Several yards away, some uniformed police officers stand in silence, watching the grieving family. Standing at the front of the mourners is Adeline Kane, who appears cold and emotionless. Next to her, though several feet away is Joey Wilson, looking much more like his current self. A slightly older teen, wearing a black suit and tie and sporting dark hair, walks up to Joey. He places a kind hand on the boy’s shoulder as the blond cries. Jason immediately recognizes the newcomer as his adoptive brother, Dick Grayson.

“I’m so sorry, Joey,” Dick says sincerely.

‘It wasn’t your fault,’ Joey signs. ‘It was H.I.V.E.’

“That makes me wonder why she’s here,” Dick whispers, motioning to Adeline.

‘She’s still my mother,’ Joey signs. ‘And his.’

The pair look at the gravestone as the memory fades, reading:

Grant Slade Wilson

Loving son and brother- taken too soon.

August 14, 1992 - December 11, 2009

Not long after departing from the graveyard, the Teen Titans find themselves on the streets of New York City, the moon shining down on them. They walk down the middle of the street, stepping around a police barricade as they lock their sights on a large, circular building with a large illuminated sign reading: “S.T.A.R. Labs”.

‘This is it,’ Joey signs. ‘I’m sorry for the detour. It couldn’t be helped.’

“Don’t worry about it, J.W.,” Vic says. “We’re here now. At S.T.A.R. Labs?”

Suddenly, an explosion rocks the scientific foundation and a hole is blown through the outer walls. Cyborg flies out of the crowd of debris with Starfire, the both skidding across the concrete and crashing through a florists stand decorated for Valentine’s Day. Vic and Kory look at each other before looking back at their future selves.

“Pick on someone of your own size…” Starfire says, winded as she and Cyborg stand.

A large, lumbering figure walks out of the cloud of smoke and dust, followed by over a dozen armored soldiers.

“Usually people say that when they have the advantage,” Mammoth, a tall and bearded being with a powerful frame, taunts.

One of the armed mercenaries approach from behind, all of which sport a honeycomb design on their chests.

“Gizmo has retrieved the target,” the soldier says. “We need to leave- back to H.I.V.E. command.”

“The other Titans?” Mammoth says, clenching his fists.

“They’re down,” the merc says, pressing their earpiece. “Shimmer and Psimon did their jobs. Psimon’s ordering our departure.”

Mammoth smashes his foot down on Starfire and Cyborg as Jericho’s eyes glow green and the group is sucked away from the memory.

Suddenly, the Teen Titans are ripped from Jericho’s mind and return to their respective bodies in Titans Tower. They all look around at each other in silence as their psychic link is slowly severed.

“That was clearly the Fearsome Five and H.I.V.E.,” Donna says, tapping her nails on her bracelets. “They’re going after S.T.A.R. Labs.”

“On Valentine’s Day,” Jason adds. “Tonight, by the looks of it. Joey, are your visions always set in stone?”

“No,” Joey says through the stereo. “It’s more of a possible future- it can be changed. We still have time but…”

“We need to figure out what they’re after,” Jason nods. “And prepare for a fight. Vic, do you think you could pull some connections? Get us inside?”

“Yeah, I could pull some strings,” Vic Stone replies.

“Good,” Jason nods. “As for the rest of us, we need to be ready. Everyone, bring your a-game.”

“You might want to update yourself on the enemy,” Donna says. “We’ve all run into H.I.V.E. our fair share.”   
“Good idea, Troy,” Jason says with a nod.


	10. A H.I.V.E. of Villainy

The Titans split up to prepare in their own ways as Jason remains on the couch, using the hidden controls in the table to bring up the secure files on screen. He lets out a calming sigh, as this is the first time he’s been alone in days. He likes being around the team, but he’s much more comfortable alone.

According to the files, H.I.V.E. was one of the first threats the Titans faced as a team. Back then, the organization was run by Queen Bee but no leader has been seen since her presumed death. Three years ago, H.I.V.E. contracted Grant Wilson- Joey’s brother known as Ravager- to take down the Teen Titans in place of Deathstroke. However, the experiments they put him through caused Grant to die in the fight. The next fight with them was mainly through Deathstroke and his one-time agent, Terra.

Not long after what Dick labeled “the Judas Contract”, H.I.V.E. sent the Fearsome Five- a team of powerful super-villains with the sole purpose of operating as super soldiers for the paramilitary organization. The known members include Psimon- a gifted telepath and the current leader of the team, Mammoth- a truly massive and powerful man with a high tolerance for pain, Shimmer- a metahuman skilled in matter manipulation and sister of Mammoth, Gizmo- a true genius with an entire arsenal of robotic accessories and weapons, and Jinx- a metahuman or possible magician with probability manipulation powers. There was another member in the beginning in the form of Doctor Light. However, he was imprisoned after their first fight and was replaced with Shimmer.

Jason continues his research for the next several hours until meeting up with the Teen Titans on the landing pad behind the tower. Jason approaches the group, putting his mask on his face.

“Alright,” Robin sighs. “How’re we getting there? Where’s the T-jet?”

“You’re looking at it,” Wonder Girl smirks. “You almost ran into it.”

Cyborg enters a brief code into his wrist, resulting in the cloaked jet revealing itself, mere inches from Jason's face. The Gothamite steps back, startled.

“A cloaking device?” Robin says wideyed. “Amazing. The Batwing doesn’t even have that.”

“Wonder Woman let me take a look at her jet, thanks to a good word from Troy,” Cyborg says as they walk inside. “And I made use of some defensive technology from Star’s old ship.”

“Tamaran was once a home to technological advancements,” Koriand’r says fondly as she sits down, strapping herself in.

Donna gestures for Robin to get into the co-pilot seat next to Cyborg and he hesitantly does so. All the others strap in behind them just as the engines kick to life and the jet vertically lifts off. Robin checks some of the screens and dials to be safe before gripping the arms of his chair, the jet rocketing into the sky at incredible speeds.

As the T-jet, a grey-ish silver aerial craft sporting the logo of the Teen Titans, reaches the shores of Manhattan, Cyborg reengages stealth mode. The cloaking device hides the aircraft and shields it from most scanners. Cyborg manages to pilot the vehicle over and around some of the taller skyscrapers as they come in towards S.T.A.R. Labs in the Financial District. The sunset makes it difficult to line up the rooftop landing but Vic manages it, slowly descending to the circular building.

“We’re supposed to be meeting with Doctor Michaels,” Cyborg explains. “He should know about the more sensitive experiments going on here.”

“Wouldn’t it save time to just hack in?” Changeling asks.

“Oh, yeah, I could just hack it,” Cyborg says jokingly. “Hack the satellites. Hack the planet. Are you an expert on hacking, Gar?”   
“I’m an expert at kicking your butt in Mighty Racing,” the green teen mumbles.

“I  _ could _ have tried to get into the database myself,” Cyborg says with a chuckle. “But my father would have detected it and I’d rather avoid that situation.”

“Besides, it’s not only about whatever they’re doing here,” Roy says, tapping his foot rapidly. “There’s people here. People who could get hurt.”

“H.I.V.E. rarely takes prisoners,” Changeling nods, crossing his arms.

“We’ll at least have some help getting people out from the NYPD,” Jericho says, using the earpieces to communicate. “We can handle the Five while they evacuate. Based on my vision, we don’t have long.”

The T-jet touches down on the landing pad in front of a scientist and a few security guards. The jet decloaks as it lands before hiding once the Titans depart. 

“Mister Stone,” the scientist, a bald, middle-aged man says as he extends his hand. “I’m Doctor Albert Michaels. It’s a pleasure.”

“Mister Stone is my dad,” Vic smiles, shaking his hand. “You can call me Cyborg.”

“Very well, Cyborg,” Albert says. “I’m very happy you all could make it- especially if your intel is right.”

“It never fails, Doctor,” Speedy says as the doctor leads them inside. “Where’s that lab of yours?”

“Follow me,” Albert says nervously.

The Titans follow Albert into the primary lab in the center of the building. Several scientists work at chemical stations in a rush to wrap up the project, navigating around a large machine with multiple clear canisters containing a dark liquid.

“Here it is,” Albert says. “It’s a chemical meant to help in medical practices. We used a confiscated toxin to create the serum with the goal to peacefully numb a subject in seconds. That was the goal, at least.”

“What do you mean?” Starfire asks. “Was it not a success?”   
“No,” Albert says, pulling a pill bottle out of his lab coat. “The toxins are powerful. All of our Human trials have resulted in psychotic breaks. Intense hallucinations prompting the affected to fight for their lives. One of our subjects had to be pulled out due to cardiac arrest.”

“Where did you get the toxin?” Robin asks, narrowing his eyes. “You called it a confiscated toxin.”

“I’m afraid I can’t disclose that,” Albert says before swallowing some pills. “Just know that nothing good can come from these people getting their hands on it. They-”

The building shakes and rumbles suddenly as lights flicker and the alarms sound. Albert grabs hold of the central machine as Cyborg projects holographic images of the outside of the building. The footage shows Mammoth charging down the street as the NYPD fires on him. Close behind him, is a woman of average height in a black bodysuit. Her red hair whips behind her as she follows her brother. Behind her, she’s followed by a bald black woman in a white dress with an exposed midriff.

“Shimmer!!” Mammoth roars.

“Gotcha, bro,” the redhead smiles, stopping as she places her hands on the ground. “Stay close, Jinx.”

The ground ahead of them shifts and glistens as Jinx and Mammoth seemingly pass through the solid ground below.

Shimmer stands with a smirk as the police are frightened, startled, and confused. She slowly begins to walk forwards, towards the police barricade. The NYPD ordered her to stop before opening fire. However, the bullets only phase straight through her body as if she isn’t there.

“What is she doing?” Albert asks.

“Distracting,” Speedy says with a tired sigh. “We saw three- where’s the other two?”

“We need to move,” Robin says. “Wonder Girl and Speedy, stay here and protect the eggheads. The rest of you- lets go.”

Robin leads the team through S.T.A..R. Labs, using Cyborg’s map to navigate towards the front entrance. The Titans rush past the security guards on the ground floor as they shoot straight for the front entrance. Outside, Shimmer continues to play as a distraction, now attacking the police. However, as the Titans approach, the building shakes more violently, making the group stumble.

“There’s movement below us,” Cyborg says, scanning the area. “In the sub-basement maybe. It’s-”

“Mammoth!” Jericho says in their earpieces as the floor violently collapses.

The drop is at least thirty feet to the maintenance area below. The Titans plummet towards Mammoth and Jinx, who uses her purple, arcane powers to make all of the debris barely miss her and her ally. Cyborg uses his energy cannon to blast a large chunk of concrete out of his way as he opens fire on Mammoth and Jinx. Starfire flies down, illuminating the exposed levels with her glowing eyes and hair, and grabs Robin and Jericho before they could crash into the ground. Changeling shifts into a flying squirrel in order to get close to Jinx before turning into a boa constrictor.

“Well, it’s fine to see you too,” Jinx winks as Cyborg lands in front of her.

“We have to stop meeting like this,” Cyborg smirks as he fires his energy cannon, misfiring as Jinx fires off a hex at him.

Mammoth backhands Starfire into a concrete pillar as Jericho uses his telekinesis to stop further collapse of the first floor. Mammoth turns to Robin and smirks, attempting to crush him under his feet.

“Stay still, little birdie!” Mammoth roars.

“Sorry if my banter’s light,” Robin backflips. “I feel bad trash talking to someone who can count his IQ on one hand!”

Robin somersaults and throws quick-hardening birdarangs as he moves. The projectiles explode, covering Mammoth in a thick, glue-like substance. He pulls at the substance as the material instantly hardens, only infuriating the trapped meathead. Mammoth roars in anger as the substance begins to crack shortly before Starfire flies in like a rocket, sending a blast powerful enough to knock him out. Starfire lands, looking exhausted and out of breath next to Robin.

“I can’t hold the supports for much longer!” Jericho says in pain as his nose bleeds.

“Cy, do you-?” Robin begins.

“We have this!” Cyborg says as he’s blasted into the wall by Jinx.

“Go ahead, Boy Wonder!” Changeling says in the form of a snake as he restrains Jinx.

Robin grapples up to the crumbling lobby area and jumps across large cracks in the ground. He leaps over the security checkpoint and lands amidst the security guards.

“What’s happening??” one of them says in a panic.

“Don’t worry, let’s just get you out of here,” Robin says as he leads them out of the building and behind the police barricade. “Jericho, you can drop it! We’re clear!”

The rubble and debris of the lobby collapses down below to the basement and maintenance areas as Robin looks to Shimmer. The metahuman grabs a wounded officer and smirks as she phases her hand through the woman’s chest. She drops the body as blood pours from the officer’s mouth.

“Shimmer, isn’t it?” Robin says as he tosses some handcuffs to her. “Why don’t you put some cuffs on and we can talk about this?”

Shimmer catches the handcuffs and puts them on her own wrists, winking at Robin.

“Ooh, these are nice,” she smirks.

“I’m fourteen, lady,” Robin says bluntly.

“It’s too bad they just slip off,” Shimmer smiles as she makes the cuffs phase through her wrists.

Robin throws a series of birdarangs which all phase through the enemy as she approaches. Shimmer gets past his defenses and kicks the teen hard in the jaw, sending him back through the doorway.

“Titans!” comes the voice of Wonder Girl in Robin’s earpiece. “We have company in the lab!”

“How’d they get past us?” says the voice of Cyborg.

“These guys are a diversion,” Robin says, backing up quickly as Shimmer approaches.

Robin presses a button on his gauntlet, magnetically recalling the birdarangs he threw earlier. The bladed projectiles impale themselves into Shimmer’s back, making her scream and stagger. As she is stunned, Robin jumps up and roundhouse kicks the villainess hard enough to knock her onto her back.

“If the lower floors are evacuated, fall back to the lab!” Robin orders into his earpiece before turning and running.

Soon enough, Robin reunites with the Titans in the basement as a now conscious Mammoth begins to break from the trap. Thankfully, Jinx is restrained by Cyborg’s power dampening cuffs.

“Star and I can hold him off!” Cyborg snaps. “Get to the lab!”

Without a spoken word, Starfire attacks Mammoth like a missile of pure emerald energy. As the two powerhouses hold off Mammoth, the rest of the team makes a run for the lab.

Jason immediately recognizes something is wrong when they find the elevators unguarded. Further investigation shows spent bullet casings on the ground and slight splatterings of blood.

“Be on guard,” Robin mumbles as Jericho and Changeling follow close behind.

Robin gestures to Changeling and motions forward. The green skinned teen morphs into a rat and skitters ahead and around the corner. Robin and Jericho move forward after Changeling lets out two squeaks.

The main hall leading to the lab shows signs of battle with many shell casings and discarded weapons. Robin inspects a perfect hole in the wall, allowing a view of the roof and the streets below.

“It was cut with a precision laser,” Robin says, kneeling down and running a finger along the melted metal. “We need to get inside.”

The Titans enter through the open lab door, finding Doctor Michaels working furiously at the centrifuge as Speedy and Wonder Girl stand at their sides.

“Speedy! Wonder Girl!” Changeling says, balling his fists for a fight. “What’s happening?”

“What do you mean, Changeling?” Speedy says calmly.

“You said we had…” Robin begins.

Robin notices one of Speedy’s arrows impaled in the wall and pulls it out with force. He looks to the centrifuge as Michaels quickly looks back at him, sweat pouring down his face.

“...company…” Robin trails off. “Jericho?”

“I feel…” Jericho says in the earpieces. “There’s someone in my head.”

“Be ready,” Robin mumbles under his breath. “Hey, Wonder Girl- catch!”

Robin quickly throws an explosive birdarang at Wonder Girl’s head. Just before it reaches her, Jericho telekinetically pulls Doctor Michaels off of his feet and out of the line of fire.

Wonder Girl quickly whips around, stretching her arm out and grabbing the birdarang out of the air. She crushes the projectile in her fist, causing a stunted explosion, whipping her obsidian hair in her face. Through the thinning smoke and past the messy hair, Donna Troy’s eyes glow an eerie magenta. Robin looks as Speedy turns and strings an arrow, noticing the same glow behind the ginger’s mask.

“Oh your fear is… palpable, Jason Todd,” an eerily calm voice says in Jason’s head.

Coming from deeper within the lab, two interlopers enter the area, leaving from behind the centrifuge. One of them is incredibly pale, wearing a green suit with a black tie. He is completely bald, with his brain somehow visible. Most importantly, his eyes are an unnatural magenta. The one next to him is very short for a grown man, barely over four feet. He wears a green jumpsuit as he sits in a rocket powered pod allowing him to float over the ground. His face is mostly covered by a mask and a pair of green tinted goggles, but his cocky smile is still very obvious.

“Psimon and Gizmo,” Robin glares. “And here I thought you bailed on the party.”

“Oh, we could never,” Psimon says out loud. “You’re new here, so I’ll give you an option: leave with your friends and let us take the toxin, or-”

“You’ll kill us all?” Changeling rolls his eyes. “Real original, Psi.”

“Base insults are a sign of a low intelligence, Changeling,” Gizmo boasts. “But we already knew you as a bumbling fool!”

Jericho tightens his jaw as he prepares for the flight, Robin unfolding a birdarang next to him. Next to them, Changeling morphs into a spider monkey and holds onto exposed pipes and wires on the ceiling. Psimon laughs as his eyes glow brighter, prompting the same to happen to Wonder Girl and Speedy.

Wonder Girl charges forward with powerful speed as Changeling dodges Speedy’s arrows. Robin jumps off of the wall in order to dodge the Amazon, but the girl yanks him by his cape.

“Donna-!” Robin yells in a panic before being yanked towards Wonder Girl and grabbed by the throat.

It doesn’t take long for Robin’s vision to pulsate and begin darkening as his throat closes under her powerful grip. Robin tries his hardest to loosen her fingers but is unable to as Jericho attempts to fight both Gizmo and Psimon.

“Donna, this… isn’t-” Robin chokes as he grasps at his utility belt. “You!”   
  


He very quickly presses a button on the side of his belt, sending an electrical current through his gauntlets. Robin hits Donna in the jaw as hard as he can, causing her to drop him in pain. Jason, after rolling to his feet, throws a roped birdarang in order to trip Wonder Girl.

“Jericho, we need to immobilize Psimon!” Robin snaps. “They’ll get away while we’re dealing with these two!” 

An explosive arrow goes off next to Robin, sending both him and Changeling off of their feet. Changeling reverts back to his normal form as he slams into the wall. Robin barely has time to recover as he dodges a series of arrows from Speedy. Robin pops up to his feet and runs, dodging the projectiles as Jericho seizes control of Gizmo’s hoverpod, making him fly into machinery.

“Your talents have improved, Jericho,” Psimon smirks. “Let’s see how much!”

Jericho and Psimon lock eyes, Jericho’s glowing green opposed to Psimon’s magenta. Robin begins to intervene as Gizmo forces Doctor Michaels to the centrifuge. However, he is smashed through the metal wall by Wonder Girl, yelling in pain as he smashes into weather monitoring gear on the rooftops. He grips onto one of the antennas as rain pours down on them, looking down several hundred feet to the streets where Cyborg and Stargirl battle Mammoth.

“Robin!” Jericho says in the Boy Wonder’s earpiece. “I’m not sure if I can beat Psimon.”

“You need to try…” Robin says, pulling himself up and dodging an attack from Wonder Girl. “Unless… just hold him off for a little longer.”

Robin barely dodges another series of attacks from Wonder Girl before leaping through the hole his body made in the wall. He dodges arrows and Wonder Girl’s lasso as he moves forward towards the centrifuge. He fires his grappling gun, grabbing Doctor Michaels by the ankle to yank him away before throwing an explosive birdarang.

“No!” Gizmo yells. “You idiot! What are you doing!?”   
“Kicking your ass,” Robin smirks after landing. “And you call yourself a genius? Let’s move, Jericho!”

Jericho’s eyes return to normal before sending Psimon back with a telekinetic blast. Suddenly, the explosive birdarang impaled in the centrifuge explodes in a flash of blinding light and shrapnel.

When the dust settles, Robin identifies Psimon and Gizmo fleeing the scene as Doctor Michaels cowers behind some machinery. The Gothamite stands slowly, approaching the destroyed centrifuge. Wonder Girl rests on her knees, her arms and shoulders dotted with cuts and bruises.

“Donna…”

“I’m sorry, Robin,” she sighs as she stands, frustration clear in her blue eyes. “I tried…”

“I know,” he nods. “Go check on Speedy. Changeling and Jericho? Sweep this level and report if you find any sign of H.I.V.E.”

“Understood, Robin,” Jericho says in his earpiece.

Robin kneels down by the destroyed centrifuge to study what traces of the toxins remain. He touches the liquid with his middle and pointer finger as he uses his other hand to touch the tip of his mask. Suddenly, a digital overlay is activated as his link to the Batcomputer scans his surroundings. A digital message reads: Standby. Analyzing chemicals.

“Starfire, what’s going on down there?” Robin asks, pressing his earpiece. “We’ve lost Gizmo and Psimon but their target is destroyed.”   
“Jinx and Shimmer came with H.I.V.E. soldiers!” Starfire says, energy blasts firing in the background. “They escaped with Psimon and Gizmo while we were distracted.”

“Do you need backup?” Robin asks as the display reads: analysis complete.

“No, we have it handled,” Cyborg replies. “Everyone okay up there?”

“Yeah, we…”

Robin stops as the digital display reads: Toxins identified as venenum timeres, Batcomputer File #d6532. Robin glares as he stands and deactivates the scanner, looking at Doctor Michaels.

“We’re fine,” Robin says angrily. “For now.”

“Robin?” Cyborg says confused as Robin walks towards the doctor angrily.

“What’s wrong?” Wonder Girl asks.

“Hey, Robin…” Speedy says cautiously.

“Titans, I can’t express how thankful I am-” Michaels says before he’s slammed hard into a wall by the Boy Wonder.

“Did you know?” Robin scowls, pressing his forearm against the scientist’s neck.

“Let him go, Robin,” Wonder Girl demands as Jericho and Changeling return.

“Did you know!?” Robin questions before Wonder Girl forcibly separates them.   
“Please, I- it wasn’t my choice!”

“What is  _ happening _ , Robin?” Wonder Girl asks.

“I analyzed the toxins,” Robin says. “It’s a diluted form of Scarecrow’s fear toxin. If H.I.V.E. got their hands on this-”

“I understand,” Wonder Girl says. “But we don’t push around the people we help. I’ll make sure the toxin is gone, Robin.”

The Teen Titans assist in the cleanup and repairs over the next few hours, after Robin oversees the destruction of the Fear Toxin in storage. Eventually, the team returns to Titans Tower on Jason’s last day in New York.

The teenager eventually goes around, saying his goodbyes and sharing a few good laughs. He makes his way to Roy Harper’s room. Jason slings his duffel bag over his shoulder as he grips the strap, approaching Roy’s door. He prepares to knock until he finds the door cracked open. Jason pushes the door open and freezes in place in the doorway. Jason’s hands shake as he identifies Roy Harper on the edge of his bed with a thin tube tied tight around his arm. Suddenly, Jason finds himself back in his family’s apartment, discovering his mother lifeless.

“Roy!” Jason says loudly, snapping out of it.

“Jason?” Roy says, quickly hiding his mark ridden arm. “Look just- get-”   
“Where is it?” Jason asks. “Your stash, Harper.”

“This is none of your business,” Roy glares as he stands. “Get out!”

“I’m not going to let you kill yourself,  _ Speedy _ ,” Jason snaps, dropping his bag. “If you don’t hand it over- I’ll take it.”

“Fuck you…” Roy scowls before the two collide.

The pair fight in Roy’s room, each throwing heavy punches and nearly breaking furniture in the process. Roy shoves Jason back against the metal bed, making the younger boy grind his teeth as Roy grabs a green arrow from off the wall and pins Jason down. Jason uses both of his hands to hold the pointed tip away from his face for a few moments.

Jason repeatedly knees Roy as hard as he can before dodging to the side. Roy stabs the arrow into the mattress just inches from Jason’s head. Todd punches Roy in the face as hard as he can before kicking him off, knocking the ginger into the wall.

“Do whatever the hell you want,” Jason snaps. “You can’t get help unless you want it, asshole. You could have killed me!”

Jason leaves Roy alone as he storms off in order to meet Alfred at the landing pad.

Later in the night, Jason walks down the streets of Bludhaven, nursing a black eye. Every few minutes, jason hears another speeding police siren. He rolls his eyes and chuckles, thinking,  _ The whole city’s like Park Row. I’m surprised Dick gets anything done. _

The young boy reaches a small apartment complex, hesitating before going up the stairs. He enters the lobby, walking past the doorman on his smoke break. Eventually, he reaches the second floor and knocks on the first door on the right. The door quickly is opened, revealing Dick Grayson on the other side.

“Little Wing!” Dick greets.

“Hey, Dickie,” Jason smiles, following his adoptive brother inside.

Jason notices that the apartment is unusually messy, but that’s unsurprising given Dick’s recent condition. The pair sit together on an old leather couch, facing the TV near the window.

“So, how’d you like your month at the tower?”

“Oh, it was great,” Jason chuckles. “For the most part at least. I liked the time away from Bruce, to be honest. Don’t tell him I said that.”

“Don’t worry, Jay,” Dick chuckles. “Snitches get stitches and I have too many of those already. Vic called- talked about your fight with H.I.V.E.”

“Look, I… that doctor-”

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Dick calms, putting a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “He was taking a risk with that fear toxin. We all lose our cool sometimes. I was bringing it up because… well, I’m impressed. You showed real leadership, kid. Real growth.”

“Really?” Jason says, shocked. “You think so?”

“Absolutely,” Dick smiles. “Everyday, I see your potential more and more. You really deserve that “R” on your chest.”

“Thanks,” Jason smirks. “I’ll be honest, it felt good to be the one and only robin- if just for a few weeks.”

Dick chuckles as he stands, stretching carefully.

“Well, it’s going to be longer than a few weeks,” Dick explains.

“What?” Jason stands. “I thought you were better?”

“Oh, I am,” he nods. “Don’t worry, I’m heading back to the Teen Titans. I’ve just done a lot of thinking.”

“There’s a first time for everything,” Jason jokes, following Dick into his room.

“Being Robin… it was the best years of my life so far,” Dick says. “But Robin isn’t on his own, you know? Robin is tied to Batman. Even after I moved out here to Bludhaven… I was still the Boy Wonder. Batman’s ward. If I want to be my own man-”

“You can’t be in Batman’s shadow.”

“Right, exactly,” Dick smirks as he grabs something from under his bed.

Jason steps closer as Dick rests it on his bed, turning the light on. Jason crosses his arms as he studies the brand new suit. The light suit is a dull blue with a slight collar to protect the neck from injury and it sports a golden insignia and stretches across the chest. This insignia is slightly shaped as a bird, not a bat. Two escrima sticks rest on either side of the golden utility belt, which likely hold a series of tricks and tools.

“Wow,” Jason says surprised. “So, you’re obviously not Robin anymore.”

“No, I’m not,” he chuckles.

“So, who are you?”

“Nightwing,” Dick smiles at his brother.

“Okay… that’s cooler than Robin.”

“I know, right?”

Jason spends several hours catching up with Dick Grayson in the apartment. Eventually, Jason works up the nerve to talk to him before he has to head back to Gotham.

“Dick, we need to talk about Roy,” Jason says as they stand in the kitchen.

“What do you mean?” Dick asks. “What happened?”

“I’m sorry for not bringing it up earlier,” he replies. “On my way out, I found him in his room. He was… about to shoot up. Heroin, I’m guessing.”

“Oh my God,” Dick sighs. “Did you say anything to him?”

“We did more than talk,” Jay gestures to his black eye.

“I’m sorry,” Dick sighs. “But thank you, Jason. I’ll talk to him when I get back.”

“Be careful,” Jason says as his phone buzzes in his pocket. “He tried to kill me.”

“I will,” he nods. “Is that Bruce?”

“Yeah,” Jason sighs, picking up his phone. “I need to go. It was good seeing you, Grayson.”   
“Take it easy, Todd,” Dick smiles.


	11. Cat Got Your Tongue?

Rain strikes the rooftops of Gotham City like artillery. An agile figure runs across the roofs, careful to not slip on the slick buildings before leaping off. The figure, in a tight and dark suit made for agility, lands on the roof of a monorail platform. Before drawing too much attention, they remove a grappling gun from their belt and fire off. They soar upwards through the rain, landing on the lower section of the roof of a glass-domed museum. She holds the grappling gun in her hands, running her finger along the insignia of a bat on the side.

“Thank you again for the  _ gift _ , Bat,” Catwoman smirks to herself.

Catwoman approaches the glass dome as she flicks her wrist, extending the claws in her gloves. She smirks as she hooks the gun back to her side, by her coiled whip. She kneels down by a specific panel and uses her claws to slice through the security lock without setting off an alarm. She lifts the glass panel in order to slip inside, out of the rain.

Catwoman drops down onto some metal supports before using her whip to swing below onto a modern art piece. The thief skillfully reaches the ground floor before removing her phone from a compartment by her belt. She presses her lips as she studies the layout of the museum.

She continues through the building in silence, expertly avoiding cameras and security guards. Eventually, she reaches a large, open room with a few art pieces on display. However, Ms. Kyle’s attention narrows on the central display: an immaculate, shining ruby protected by a thick layer of glass. Catwoman ducks behind a marble statue as one of the armed guards come by.

This group of armed guards are different- they don’t bear any logo or markings on the uniforms. Unlike the other guards, these are armed with assault rifles, not stun guns. Unfortunately, before Selina even has the chance to make a move, the silence is disturbed as the monorail smashes through the far wall, the metal scraping across the supports as the stone tiles are ripped to shreds. A handful of the security guards yell in pain as they are thrown across the room.

“What the hell’s going on!?” one of the guards cries out.

“Secure the perimeter!” another shouts. “We need a medic in here!”

“Someone notify command!” a third orders. “We need-”   
  


The order is cut short as one of the doors of the train is forced open and a dozen men and women with their faces painted like clowns exit, all armed with firearms. The clowns spread out immediately and open fire.

“You stupid clowns have to ruin  _ everything _ , huh?” Catwoman mumbles.

In the midst of the firefight, Catwoman moves forward towards the display. She slides under an art piece as one of the guards attempts to remove the ruby from the display with haste. As soon as he opens the door, Catwoman lashes her whip around the man’s throat before yanking him down to the ground. She stomps hard on the back of his head, knocking him out cold and breaking his nose.

She quickly coils her whip back up at her side before looking for the dropped ruby. She slowly looks to the other side of the display, where a man in a purple suit plays with the ruby in his hand. He looks at Catwoman with a crooked, almost deformed grin.

“Selina, Selina…” the Joker smirks. “What happened to those cat-like reflexes?”

“Bastard.” Catwoman glares.

In under an hour, the Gotham Museum of Modern Art is swarmed by the G.C.P.D. and black, unmarked vehicles. Helicopters scan the surrounding area as the police block off the monorail wreckage. Inside the museum, Commissioner Gordon steps past a few government agents as he observes the monorail, still partially through the wall. Several bodies are strewn across the scene, covered in tarps.

The Batmobile speeds through upper Gotham, avoiding traffic and roadblocks at lightning speed. Robin tightens the strap on his gauntlets before checking his mostly healed black eye in the mirror.

“So, how does a monorail crash into a museum?” Robin asks. “Gotham’s public transportation is bad, but…”

“What are you thinking?” Batman asks, testing his protégé.

“A terror attack, maybe,” Robin suggests. “The museum’s been a pillar of Gotham since the 20s. It would hurt a lot of people to see it go.”

“The museum was closed,” Batman replies as the Batmobile speeds past the Otisburg Stadium. “There are many targets with many more possible casualties they could have gone for.”

“Good guess, Jason,” Robin says in a purposely bad Batman impression. “I’m proud of you for your initiative.”

“Robin,” Batman says with the slightest chuckle. “Do you have any other theories?”

“Well, it  _ is _ Gotham,” Robin shrugs. “So it could have been an elaborate robbery. Though that means we would be dealing with one of our more flamboyant rogues.”

“Joker,” Batman replies as the Batmobile comes to a stop.

“Maybe,” Robin says, unfocused. “But no one has seen him in… in over a year. He-”

Robin looks up as Batman exits the Batmobile. The Boy Wonder pops the door open and follows until he spots the pair of armored soldiers dead, propped up against the security booth- both pale and with an extended, pained, permanent smile on their faces.

“Joker…” Robin says, near breathless.

This area, like the rest of the museum, is being investigated by the police. Batman and Robin move forward, grappling up towards the roof of the museum. The Dynamic Duo lands next to the dome as Commissioner Gordon stands several meters away. As Gordon speaks with government agents in suits, Batman kneels down and runs his fingers across the broken lock on one of the panels.

“It was cut straight through,” Batman says.

“The monorail had to be their entry,” Robin says. “Joker wouldn’t split his people to enter through the skylight… someone else was here.”

“Gordon might clear things… up.”

“What’s wrong?” Robin asks.

“Waller,” Batman says firmly.

“Who?”

Robin follows Batman as he approaches Gordon. The commissioner seems to be in a tense conversation with an intimidating black woman in a business suit. She is flanked on either side by an agent in black suit and tie.

“This is still Gotham, Mrs. Waller,” Gordon says. “This is my jurisdiction.”   
“It’s  _ Director _ Waller,” the woman replies. “And you obviously aren’t very good at what you do, Commissioner. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Stand down, Waller,” Batman snaps. “What’s going on here?”

“This isn’t your concern, Batman,” Waller glares. “Interfere, and I’ll prepare a cell for you at Belle Reve.”

“Good luck with that,” Robin says as he cracks his knuckles.

“Joker and his gang broke in,” Gordon says, stepping over to the Bat. “They set up a bomb on the monorail to derail it.”

“Was anything stolen?” Batman asks.

“Just one thing,” Gordon nods. “A ruby. It was on display for a few weeks by ‘Palmeri Antiquities’, a European art collection.”

“None of this is right…” Batman thinks.

The vigilantes and the cop look at Waller as her agents draw their weapons. At the same time, a helicopter with the logo of A.R.G.U.S. on the side begins to hover overhead.

“You need to leave, Batman,” Waller orders. “My men  _ will _ shoot to kill. Colonel Flag?”

“We have a visual, Wall,” a gruff voice says from a radio.

“I’ll find out how you’re involved, Waller,” Batman snarls. “Let’s move, Robin.”

The pair leave the site, quickly reaching the Batmobile and speeding away. Robin begins to signal the Batcave using the Batmobile’s onboard communications. Quickly, the monitor on the dashboard displays Alfred at the Batcomputer.

“Master Bruce- Master Jason,” Alfred nods. “As we speak, I am attempting to uncover Miss Waller’s secure communications channel.”

“Have you found anything yet?” Batman asks.

“Only that ‘Palmeri Antiquities’ does not exist,” Alfred replies. “It’s a shell company, though it will be incredibly difficult to trace the owner down.”

“Keep working at it,” Batman states as a rep blip begins to flash on the GPS screen. “I’m picking up a tracking signal from some of my tech nearby. I need to investigate.”

“Of… course,” Alfred sighs. “Master Jason, make sure he keeps his head on his shoulders, would you?”

“Copy that, Alfred,” Robin says, a little confused before the Brit hangs up. “Did you lose some gear, Bruce?”

“Something like that.”

The Batmobile speeds over the Sparng Bridge into the East End, following the tracking signal. The Batcomputer cuts through traffic, coming to a fast stop in an alleyway. The doors pop open before the vehicle even completely stops.

“Batman, what-”

“Just stay on me, Robin,” Batman snaps as he and the Boy Wonder leave the armored vehicle.

The two grapple up to the rooftops, navigating their way to a nice, penthouse apartment. Robin glances around as they walk around the edge of an infinity pool.

“Batman, what are we doing here?” Robin asks again as Batman slides open the glass door. “The signal could be anywhere in this building. I doubt the owners would like you barging in.”

“Since when are you against breaking and entering, Boy Wonder?” a voice says from the dark penthouse.

Robin nearly jumps as a black cat with green eyes comes out of the shadows, crossing in front of him and weaving between his legs. Upon a second glance, Robin notices a golden collar around the feline’s neck.

“Of course,” Robin sighs. “Batman, you could have-”   
“Show yourself Selina,” Batman says in a lighter tone than before.

There is a light sound of a single clap of hands before the lights turn on. Sitting in an elegant armchair, wearing the leather pants of her “catsuit” and a white tank top, is Selina Kyle. Her black hair drapes over her shoulders as her emerald eyes scan the vigilantes. The woman is incredibly beautiful, though she looks as if she’s been through the ringer. Her right forearm is in bloody bandages and fresh cuts lay across her lips and below her bruised left eye.

“Were you looking for something, Bat?” Selina asks, gesturing with the stolen grappling gun.

“You knew we would pick up the signal,” Batman states. “You’ve been jamming it.”

“Go on,” Selina smiles tiredly. “Don’t leave me on the edge of my seat.”

“You wanted us to find you,” Batman states. “Why?”

“I need your help,” the socialite sighs, standing slowly.

“That’s funny,” Robin fakes a laugh. “We were thinking the same thing- we’ll help you into a cozy cell in Blackgate. Or better- Arkham.”

“Robin, stand down,” Batman says. “What happened to you, Selina?”

“I went over to the museum in the Bowery,” Selina says nonchalantly. “I was in the market for a gemstone.”

“You’re working with the Joker?” Robin questions.

“Not in a million years,” Selina rolls her eyes as she crosses her arms. “I snuck past the armed guards to the ruby when the clowns crashed the party. I fought my way to it, but the Joker got it first. I fought him but those soldiers tried to kill us both. I barely got away.”

“So, you want our help to get the ruby for you?” Batman sighs. “I’m sorry, Selina. But that needs to go back to the museum.”

“I get it,” she says. “But, I can help you find him. I just want that psycho to know that no one steals from  _ me _ .”

“We’re already looking for him,” Robin points out. “We don’t need help from you.”

“Then why aren’t you dragging him off to Arkham right now, little bird?” Selina teases. “I don’t know why he wants the ruby, but know where he’s going.”

“How?” Batman asks.

“I broke a nail,” she says simply.

“You still have the tracers embedded.”

“Something I picked up from our last meeting, B,” Selina winks, placing a hand on Batman’s chest. “I’ll bring you to him.”

“Why not just tell me where he is?” Batman says in a gruff whisper, looking down to her.

“You’ll run off,” she whispers, running her fingers across the bat symbol. “Leaving me all by my lonesome.”

“If you’re coming with us, get your gear,” Robin says, crossing his arms.

“Does the kid boss you around like that?” Selina smirks.

“No,” Batman smiles slightly. “But he has a point. We need to move, Selina.”

“I’ll be right back,” Selina says as she walks off, tailed by her cat.

Batman and Robin both look at each other, each with an unreadable look beyond their masks. Robin gestures to the sliding glass door and the duo steps outside. A.R.G.U.S. helicopters search from above in the direction of the museum and the Northern half of Gotham City. Batman and Robin look at the Batsignal, still shining against the cloudy night sky.

“What the Hell was that?” Robin demands.

“Don’t raise your voice at me.”

“I’m just saying,” Robin grinds his teeth. “I don’t remember  _ that _ lesson in my training. When exactly did you teach me to screw the bad guys?”

“Robin!” Batman snaps, sending panic through Robin’s body. “You need to stop. Your only job here is to follow my orders. I know what I’m doing. Am I clear?”

“Crystal,” Robin glares.

Shortly after, the trio leave the scene in the Batmobile. Batman and Robin sit in the front two seats as Catwoman sits behind them, strapped in tight. The armored vehicle speeds through the streets of Little Italy as Robin nervously bounces his leg, keeping an eye on the road and an eye on Catwoman.

“Which way, Selina?” Batman asks.

“Take a right at the Opera House,” the catburglar says simply. “There’s an old hotel a few blocks past- that’s the place. The Scarlet Inn.”

“Doesn’t really sound like the Joker’s kind of hideout,” Robin comments.

“What did you expect?” Catwoman smirks. “A neon sign that says “the clown lives here!”?”

“Actually, yeah. That’s on brand.”

“He’s been acting strange,” Batman says as the Batmobile weaves around traffic and speeds towards the opera house. “Why would he want a ruby?”

“It could just be a red herring,” Robin suggests. “We could be running around in circles for him.”

“Everything’s a game to him,” Catwoman crosses her arms. “A sick joke. Whatever he’s doing, it’s intentional.”

As they near the opera house, the sound of roaring engines echo as a handful of vehicles speed away from the old building. Every vehicle is spray painted a bright green and graffitied with the Joker’s face.

“Looks like you were right!” Robin says as the Batmobile kicks into high gear.

As the Batmobile pursues, the Joker thugs shoot back at them through the windows. The bullets have little to no effect on the armored car, though the same can’t be said for the nearby traffic.

“They’re going to kill someone, Batman!” Robin snaps.

“Penny-One, what’s your status?” Batman questions, firing non-lethal rounds from the Batmobile, damaging one of the vans.

“It turns out, Batman,” Alfred says in the vigilantes’ ears. “The company that the ruby belongs to, is a shell company owned by a ‘Belle Blake’.”

“Why is that familiar?” Batman asks.

“It is a very old alias of Amanda Waller,” Alfred replies. “It seems that A.R.G.U.S. was using the museum as a way to discreetly transport the ruby without plastering A.R.G.U.S. all over it. I’m unsure as to what is so important about this gem.”   
“Get me Waller,” Batman glares as one of the vehicles swerves and crashes. “Robin-”

“I’m on it,” Robin nods, quickly opening his door.

“You’re quite the mentor, Bat!” Catwoman yells sarcastically over the roaring wind.

Robin climbs out, standing on the roof of the Batmobile as his door closes. Robin lets out a nervous breath as the Batmobile passes up a road.

The Boy Wonder leaps from the vehicle, firing his grapple gun in the air. Instead of attempting to grapple to the back of the enemy vehicles, he latches to a streetlight, swinging a tight  90° angle to a side road. He drops from his arch and lands on a low rooftop, sprinting across it and dodging obstacles.

‘ _ Come on!’  _ Robin thinks to himself as gunshots ring out a block away amongst the screeching of tires. ‘ _ I’d kill to be Kid Flash right now. I need to cut them off! _ ’

Robin darts over the gap between two buildings, firing his grappling gun for a boost over an old water tower.

Suddenly, Robin finds himself diving towards the concrete only a few hundred feet ahead of the speeding vehicles. Robin closes his eyes, visualizing the aerial training he received from Nightwing and Batgirl.  _ 400 feet. _ Robin lets out a shaky breath.  _ 300 feet. _ He feels the breeze whipping through his dark hair and stinging his face.  _ 200 feet. _ He tightens his already iron grip on his cape as the sounds below become much louder.  _ 100 feet. _

Robin opens his eyes and releases his cape, twisting in the air and allowing the sudden gust of air caught in his open cape to rocket him forward. The teen dodges stray bullets in the air before firing his batclaw at the roof of the van just ahead of the Batmobile. The metal pincers stab through the manufactured roof, allowing Robin the 100% certainty that he’ll land with a bang.

The pure impact on the roof causes the vehicle to swerve as part of the frame bends, nearly shattering the windshields. Robin dodges to the side as bullets soon are fired through the roof from the inside of the automotive. He grunts but manages to stay on as a bullet hits his gut, stopped by his armored suit.

Robin gets back to his feet and fires his grappling gun at the lead vehicle- an heavily armored truck. Robin quickly flies towards the vehicle as he unfolds an explosive birdarang, throwing it back at the front of the van. The explosion causes black smoke to pour from the engine, forcing the vehicle to swerve and crash.

“Robin, fall back,” Batman says in Robin’s ear. “We know where Joker’s going.”

“Do you realize if I drop like this I’ll break something?” Robin says as he manages to climb onto the roof. “Besides, how do we…”

As Robin reaches the roof, a hatch opens up and the Joker pokes his upper body out. Robin, for a brief moment, is scared into inaction as the Clown Prince of Crime grins at him, his green hair flying in the wind.

“I thought I heard an angsty teenager outside my window,” the Joker laughs. “Why the long face, Boy Wonder?”

“Where’s the ruby?” Robin demands, punching the clown in the face and grabbing him by the collar.

The Joker laughs hysterically, spitting blood into the wind.

“Honestly, that’s a good one!” Joker grins creepily. ”Personally, I’d rather exchange  **punch** lines with Batman!”

The Joker headbutts Robin hard enough to daze him, if only for a moment. Robin has no time to react as the Joker pulls out a revolver from his suit jacket, aiming it at Robin’s head. He laughs again, even more hysterical than the last, as he pulls the trigger and a toy flag that says “bang” pops out.

“Bye bye, Birdie,” Joker grins as an actual shot comes out of the end of the flag.

In moments, Robin finds himself crashing onto the hard ground, rolling over and over again until he dents a blue mailbox on the side of the road. The Boy Wonder slowly gets up to his knees as he coughs, wiping black explosive residue and blood off of his face. His ears continue to ring and he feels a powerful wave of vertigo as he attempts to stand.

As the teenager attempts to get to his feet, Batman approaches and helps him into the Batmobile. Batman spends a few moments checking the sidekick for injuries before kicking the vehicle into high speed.

“Is he alright?” Catwoman says with concern.

“He will be,” Batman states. “Can you hear me, Robin?”

“Yeah,” Robin replies tiredly. “Just… I had the wind knocked out of me.”

The Batmobile speeds after the Joker, soon stopping at the destination: a nondescript warehouse in the Tricorner district. Various corpses are strewn across the front of the building, by the abandoned armored truck.

“According to Director Waller,” Alfred says through the comms. “The ruby actually contained laser engraved codes to enter this facility- an A.R.G.U.S. black site. The warehouse should be heavily guarded, as it holds many powerful and experimental weapons and technology.”

“If Joker gets his- his hands on that,” Robin says as he wipes sweat from his forehead. “He… we have to stop him.”

“You’re staying here, Robin,” Batman says. “You’re in no condition to fight.”

“You can’t do this alone,” Robin argues.

“He’ll have me,” Catwoman says. “I’m getting my ruby. Stay put, kid.”

Robin reluctantly waits in the Batmobile for a few minutes until the area becomes barraged with red and blue flashing lights. Robin slowly exits the Batmobile as the dozen or so cop cars pull in, the officers quickly taking cover and preparing for a fight. Commissioner Gordon, wearing a bulletproof vest, walks up to the vigilante immediately.

“Robin,” Gordon greets.

“Commish’,” Robin says with a pained smirk. “Batman’s inside with C- with the Joker.”

“You don’t look so good, kid,” Gordon says with concern. “I’ll call over the EMTs to-”

“I’m fine!” Robin snaps. “I’m with Batman- I can hand;e myself, Gordon.”

“You’re still a kid,” Jim replies. “My daughter can’t be much older than you. I don;t know what I’d do if she was hurt… consider how your parents must feel, son.”

“I’m going in there,” Robin says as he turns away. “Make sure no one tries to escape through here.”

Robin proceeds into the building, walking past dead bodies of A.R.G.U.S. guards and Joker thugs. He crouches behind a stack of crates in the main floor of the warehouse, observing Batman trying to fight a dozen Joker thugs. Catwoman and Joker, however… 

“Where are they?” Robin whispers to himself.

Robin looks up, spotting a hanging platform holding construction supplies above Batman and the Joker thugs.

“Batman, move!” Robin says, quickly unfolding a birdarang.

“Robin??” Batman says, surprised. “I told you to-”   
“Just move!” Robin snaps as he throws the projectile.

Batman vaults to the side as the birdarang hits the crane above their heads, exploding and causing the platform to fall free, swinging into the criminals. Most remained on the ground knocked out or too injured to stand.

Batman and Robin meet in the middle of the room, Robin grinding his teeth so he can focus on something besides the pain. Batman places a hand on his shoulder.

“I told you to stay put,” Batman scolds.

“I wasn’t going to leave you to fight the Joker on your own,” Robin says. “You needed backup.”   
“Catwoman’s here to-”

“She’s betrayed you before, Batman,” Robin sighs. “I don’t trust her.”

“Well, I do,” Batman nods.

“You should listen to the kid, Bats...”

Batman and Robin look up across the room, watching as Catwoman approaches from a formerly sealed vault door. The master thief holds the ruby in her hand as she smirks before tucking it into her suit by the zipper.

“...he’s surprisingly perceptive,” Catwoman winks.

“Cat, what happened?” Batman asks, shifting his focus. “Where’s Joker?”   
“He’s a few blocks away by now,” she says. “But I managed to get my jewel.”

“You let him go,” Batman says flatly. “You made a deal. Why?”

“It’s not personal, B,” Catwoman says with a pouting lip.

“Robin, get back to the Batmobile,” Batman says. “Get after the Joker.”

“What about you?”   
“I’ll handle her,” Batman glares.

“Oh, give the kid a chance!” Catwoman calls out, dodging a trio of batarangs.

Before Robin can even make it to the door, he finds Catwoman’s whip tight around his throat. With a powerful yank, Robin is pulled backwards as she roundhouse kicks Batman. He grips the whip as Catwoman slings him into a stack of crates. Robin lets out a stunted scream of pain as he feels a rib snap. Nearly buried in crates, Robin finds it impossible to set the pain aside as he tries to climb out.

There are muffled sounds of fighting and low voices before glass breaks and a small explosion rocks the room. A few moments of silence linger as Robin clutches his side in pain.

“Robin!” Batman calls out. “Hold on!”

“Batman…” Robin coughs up blood onto the warehouse floor.

Batman moves the crates and helps Robin up and helps him walk outside.

“Batman what happened in…” Gordon begins, trailed by Amanda Waller.

“I’ll debrief you later,” Batman says. “I need to get him some help.”

“I don’t think so,” Waller snaps, stepping in Batman’s way. “What happened there? This is the property of the U.S. Government.”

“Gordon can share the details,” Batman glares. “And you can get out of my way, Waller.”

“The kid can walk it off,” Waller snaps back.   
“Eat a di-” Robin begins before wincing in pain.

Batman walks past her with Robin at his side, the two quickly reaching the Batmobile and leaving the scene.

The ride back is fairly quiet, even with the police scanner running as white noise. Robin tunes it out for the most part, but he does hear the phrase, “primary suspect lost” and feels a pain in his gut.  _ Was that one guilt or a ruptured spleen? _ He jokes to himself.

“Jason,” Batman says, snapping him out of it.

“Sorry, what?” he replies tiredly.

“It was reckless of you to leave your post,” Batman states.

“I… I know,” he sighs. “I just-”

“You were right about Selina, though,” Batman sighs. “And you did a great job of pursuing the Joker on foot.”

“I might as well be in a full body cast,” Robin scoffs.

“You and me- this family,” Batman says as the Batmobile drives through the waterfall. “We aren’t special like Kryptonians or Speedsters or Amazons. We’re human and that means we get roughed up.”

“I kind of expected the pep talk from Alfred,” Jason jokes as he removes his mask, wincing while the Batmobile comes to a stop.

“I did learn from the best,” Batman points out. “Let’s get you patched up.”

The duo depart from the armored vehicle, walking towards Alfred who greets them- not with a cup of tea, but with a box of medical supplies.


	12. A Knight in Arkham

Smoke rises over Arkham Island on the West side of Gotham City. GCPD helicopters fly overhead, shining spotlights on the island as Gotham’s finest set up a blockade on the ground. Batman and Robin ride in the Batmobile, speeding across the Trigate Bridge, weaving and dodging the squad cars. Following close behind are two motorcycles, each driven by Nightwing and Batgirl.

“Batman, I can’t get my dad on comms,” Batgirl says in their earpieces.

“Gordon should be on the island,” Batman replies. “We’re going in blind.”

“How did an explosion knock Arkham’s grid offline?” Robin asks curiously.

“It could be an EMP,” Nightwing replies.

“It must have been some powerful EMP,” Batgirl retorts. “Penny-One, status update?”

“I’m afraid we’re still blind, Batgirl,” comes the voice of Alfred. “I urge extreme caution. However, if I may add to the debate, if it’s purpose was to act as a pulse it must have been military grade.”   
“Military grade…” Batman ponders. “Like Penny-One said… be ready.”

The bats quickly arrive on Arkham Island, speeding past the 19th Century gates and several GCPD squad cars. The Batmobile and batbikes come to a stop in the front of the main building, near an A.R.G.U.S. mobile command center, more GCPD forces, and several armored vehicles.

“What’s A.R.G.U.S. doing here?” Nightwing asks as he dismounts.

“They’ve stayed in Gotham since the robbery of their warehouse a few months ago,” Batgirl replies. “Joker got away with some weapons. Bombs, too.”

“Bombs?” Nightwing says as Batman and Robin join them. “Do you think-”

“That’s what we’re assuming, kid,” Commissioner Gordon says as he walks over with a buff military man with a buzzcut. “So far, there’s been no sign of him though. If Joker used one of those bombs here, he’d have probably”

“Who are you?” Batman asks, eyeing the new person.

“Colonel Rick Flag,” he announces. “I’m the lead field operative here- Director Waller is preoccupied.”   
“Has anyone been inside since the explosion?” Batman asks.

“No, thankfully,” Gordon replies. “Some of the staff managed to get out before the lockdown came into effect. The inmates are rioting inside.”

“We can try to bypass the security systems but this place is defended by WayneTech. Arkham’s lockdown protocol runs on its own grid,” Colonel Flag replies. “We could break through, but by the time we did there’s no telling how many inmates could escape.”

“We can get in,” Batman replies. “Once inside, we’ll lift the lockdown.”

“It’s too risky,” Gordon sighs, pulling a cigar out of his jacket. “We lift that lockdown and every psycho inside will make a run for it.”

“Then we’ll defeat as many of them as we can while we’re in there,” Robin interjects. “Restrain them long enough for your guys to take control.”

“It’s not a bad plan,” Nightwing states. “It’ll be tough but…”

“You’ve been through worse situations,” Gordon finishes. “Get moving.”   
  


The vigilantes get a move on, proceeding to the rear of the East Wing of the asylum: the site of the explosion. A plume of smoke raises into the sky as the foundation burns. Upon closer investigation, the bats realize that the explosion left a hefty sized crater.

“Definitely military grade,” Nightwing says, crouching down as he picks up a fragment of the bomb casing. “If it wasn’t Joker, we have a serious player on the board.”

“It’s too much of a coincidence,” Batgirl says using a small device to scan the residue. “Penny-One, do you think…”

“I’ll begin analyzing immediately, Batgirl,” Alfred replies. “Shall I lift the lockdown for the infirmary, Batman?”

Batman leads the group inside of the East Infirmary as he studies the medical gear and supplies thrown across the room. Several patients and doctors lay in several areas, unresponsive. The four stand in front of the sealed doors, Robin glancing up at the sign that reads “Cell Block K”.

“Do it, Alfred,” Batman replies. “Reinstate it as soon as we’re inside.”

“Of course, Master Bruce,” Alfred says. “Do be careful. I will be unable to maintain communications once you’re in there.”

Crimson lights begin to flash as Pennyworth accesses the security systems. Batman clenches his fists as Batgirl prepares an electrified batarang. Nightwing and Robin share a quick fistbump as the older teen flips his eskrima sticks. Robin lets out a shaky breath before adopting a confident glare.

The metal doors open and the vigilantes rush inside, the doors closing behind them instantly. The four move through the halls, easily navigating quick and sharp turns.

“The control center is on a raised platform above the powered cell block,” Batman says as they pass through a deactivated security gate. “We have some ground to cover.”

“You think these guys will give us a tour?” Robin jokes as they stop in their tracks.

Many Arkham patients riot in the halls, setting fires and throwing furnature. A group of inmates in orange uniforms attempt to break down the door to a supply closet where some security guards attempt to hide. A trio of the orange jumpsuit-ed inmates assault a patient in a white uniform, kicking and stabbing him repeatedly.

At the end of the cell block, an injured doctor runs for his life and trips over a dead body, falling onto the floor. As the heroes spring into action, a new inmate enters and approaches the doctor. Robin vaults over an inmate, kicking another square in the jaw. He dodges an incoming attack, flipping the assailant and breaking his arm.

Robin looks over at the injured doctor who crawls towards a bloody pipe on the ground. The new arrival comes into view, sending a rush of adrenaline down the teen’s spine. The man is tall and thin, though still muscular. He wears only the lower half of an inmate’s uniform, showing off the dozens of tally marks carved into his skin- including the four marks on his forehead. The bald man flips a knife in his hand before stabbing the doctor hard in the back.

“This should help with the pain, Doctor,” the man says coldly before moving the blade to the doctor’s throat.

“Good to see you, Victor!” Nightwing calls out, throwing his escrima stick like a projectile at the serial killer’s head.

Victor Zsasz falls off of the dying doctor, blood now trickling from his head. He touches the fresh cut with his fingers and sucks the blood off. He then scowls at Nightwing before standing.

“You cut me!” he screams before charging.

Nightwing and Robin prepare for a fight as Batman finishes off the other inmates. However, before Zsasz can reach them, a batarang with an attached batrope wraps around his ankles and causes him to fall. Batgirl releases the batrope as the killer is knocked out when his head hits the concrete hard.

Not wanting to waste time, the vigilantes free the security guards and move on, fighting through more and more rioting inmates. They soon find themselves in a large circular room with various cells lining the walls. Unlike the previous areas, every inch of the place is padded, likely so the inmates can’t hurt themselves. In the center of the room, a short, ginger man with long sideburns swings a makeshift “pocket watch”- made of a carved piece of soap with a string attached- in front of a trio of security guards as other inmates watch.

The ginger wears a patient’s uniform but also wears a paper mache top hat, looking out of place among his fellow inmates.  _ Mad Hatter _ , Jason thinks to himself.  _ AKA Jervis Tetch. He suffers from OCD, cPTSD, and Bipolar disorder- probably among others. He doesn’t have his hats... _

“Tick, tock… tick, tock…” the man grins. “The hands stroke the clock, just on time. Now, tell me about what is mine!”

“The… the lockup…” one of the guards says in a trance.

_ That makes him dangerous _ , Jason thinks as they spring into action. The Mad Hatter laughs, pointing his finger at the vigilantes and prompting the other patients- his obvious henchmen- to attack.

“Batman!” Tetch greets with a bow as Nightwing dodges a thrown bottle and flips in the air. “If I had known you were coming, I would have made room for you in the dinner plan!”

“Let them go, Tetch,” Batman growls, breaking a patient’s arm and smashing another into the padded wall. “Otherwise, this won’t end well.”

“Well, we can’t stop now! After all, can’t you smell the tea?!” Jervis says coldly as he pulls a small blade from a compartment in his hat. “Oh, and look! You’ve brought Alice here- just for me…”

“Back off creep,” Batgirl cringes as she breaks an inmate’s jaw, unable to reach Tetch before he kills one of the guards. “Robin!”

“On it, B.G.!” Robin snaps, hitting a patient rapidly in the gut before roundhouse kicking him.

Batgirl, Robin, and Nightwing fight as a unit- cutting through the patients like butter as Batman grapples overhead. The Caped Crusader soars over the support beams and hanging lights before coming down hard.

“Where! Where! Where! Where have my precious caps fled!?” The Mad Hatter exclaims, pushing a knife into the stomach of another guard. “With the Queen? Or the Cat? Tell me, or you’ll be dead, dead,  _ dead _ !”

“They’re locked up!” the guard says in pain. “Near corridor-”

Suddenly, Batman drops down like a boulder, smashing the Hatter through a table. The guards scatter for safety as Batman knocks the ginger out cold, tossing him in a cell with a broken nose and a crushed top hat.

“I almost feel bad for the guy,” Robin says, kicking an inmate in the side. “ _ Almost. _ Are you two alright?”

“We’re… alive…” one of the guards says as Batman cuts their restraints. “Thanks to you four.”

“We ran into some other guards in Cell Block K,” Batman states. “You can regroup with them.”

“Be careful,” one of them says, putting pressure on his knife wound. “Dent and some of the others in H Block were trying to get into the lockup.”

“Like Tetch,” Batgirl nods. “The Arkham lockup is bound to have most of the dangerous gear the inmates were arrested with.”

“That seems pretty unsecure,” Robin says as they proceed.

“Arkham’s security is infamously bad,” Nightwing points out. “Even with the recent donations from a certain billionaire philanthropist.”

“Even our updates won’t hold Two-Face for long,” Batman says. “Double time it.”

As if on queue, an explosion nearly rocks the building. The vigilantes sprint down the halls and cell blocks, fighting escapees without stopping. Eventually, they pass through the empty Cell Block H before entering a large cafeteria. Seven security guards take cover behind counters and overturned metal tables as bullets and fireballs hurl towards them.  _ Wait,  _ **_fireballs_ ** _? _ Robin does a double take as a fully armored Garfield Lynns, AKA Firefly, flies through the air and sends streams of flames down at the guards.

“Relax!” Firefly laughs as the guards open fire. “I’m just trying to make some  **bacon** !”

“Chill out!” Robin snaps angrily as he grapples up towards the pyromaniac. “They aren’t even real cops!”

All Robin can think of is the day he joined Batman- when he saved him from the mercy of Crime Alley. Firefly ended up burning down three city blocks that still haven't been repaired, killing nearly a dozen people.

“Two-Face on our six!” Nightwing shouts from down below, dodging gunfire as Two-Face and several armed inmates caused chaos.

“You lost the flip, Nightwing!” Two-Face yells, grazing one of the guards in the arm. “Now stay still!”

“Batgirl, don’t let anyone else in that room!” Batman snaps, fighting through Two-Face’s thugs as several men come out of the vault.

Most of the men carry firearms and body armor, but one seems to be a doctor with various scars on his face. He runs for cover, dragging a dolly of pressurized canisters. A final individual struts out of the vault confidently. The man, wearing a purple gas mask and similarly colored suit, laughs as he steps over the bent metal door, broken open by the explosion.

“Truly!” he shouts joyfully. “Run in fear of the terror of the night! Run! Fear the  **Killer Moth** ! Fear my insurmountable-!”

“Sleep tight, Drury,” Batgirl quips.

Killer Moth groans as he’s knocked out cold in a single hit from Batgirl. She restrains him quickly before fighting off other patients trying to get into the vault.

“Make the push!” one of the guards says as Robin grabs onto Firefly above. “We have to cover Batman!”

Robin punches Firefly repeatedly, breaking off a piece of his mask and knocking out teeth. Firefly groans in pain again as Robin smashes the man into a support beam.

“Give me a break!” firefly spits out blood. “Get off of me!”

“Did you give Park Row a break?” Robin growls, stabbing a wingding into the fuel line of Garfield’s jetpack.

Robin leaps off of him and lands on the ground as Batman restrains Two-Face to a table next to him. Batman and Robin look at each other before looking up at Firefly. He flies around erratically, losing complete control which prompts Robin to smile.

“Robin, he could die,” Batman scolds.

“Give him a second, Batman,” Robin crosses his arms.

“NO, NO, NO!” Firefly screams as he unhooks from the pack, falling to the ground and breaking a leg.

The jetpack explodes upon collision with the wall just as Lynns hits the ground. The injured Firefly reaches for a discarded handgun but is quickly stopped by a well placed kick from Robin, breaking the villains jaw.

The security guards come out from cover and assist in restraining the stragglers. The vigilantes end up throwing Firefly, Killer Moth, and Two-Face into the same cell. Already sitting in the cell is a chubby bald man with a face tattoo going around the brim of his forehead, all the way around. The tattoo is a straight line with the months of the year marked on it. Robin easily recognizes him as Julian Day.

“Sorry about the crappy roommates, Calendar Man,” Robin says.

“Mark the days…” Calendar Man says calmly. “Eight days until April Fools… many pranks, many jokes. Many jokes indeed for you.”

“Good luck with that,” Robin replies.

“Batman!” one of the guards says. “Too many of the patients have retrieved their weapons and fled.”

“Where did they go?” Batman demands.

“Recreation,” he says. “Nygma realized it was the least defended area. I saw Crane making a run for it with his fear gas, too.”

Without saying another word, the group moves on once again. In the halls, they battle more and more armed patients. Maxie Zeus, a very tall and buff inmate, attempts to rally the other patients but none of them feed his God complex. A quick teamup from Batman and Nightwing puts the cultist back in a cell, right next to a crying Condiment King and a Scarface-less Ventriloquist.

A large gang of inmates attempt to impede their progress, calling themselves “the Dollhouse”. The Dolls step aside, allowing their leader to show her face: a little girl with blonde pigtails, wearing a white patient’s uniform.

“Um…” Robin says confused.

“Mary?” Batman asks. “What are you doing?”

“What d’ya mean, Batty?” she replies in an exaggerated baby voice. “I’m just having a party with my friends! And  _ you’re _ not invited! Besides, I don’t even know who that is. I’m Baby-Doll!”   
“I thought you were doing-”

“I’m doing great,” she giggles. “Why don’t we play a little?”

“Uh…” one of the inmates says. “I don’t really wanna fight Batman…”

On queue, Baby-Doll begins crying like a- well, like a baby. The inmates all look at each other before charging the vigilantes. Robin kicks one of them back before chopping another in the neck. However, he’s knocked to the ground by an inmate using a lead pipe. Robin rolls to the side quickly as Batgirl slams the man into the floor.

“I’m sorry, Mary,” Nightwing says as he flips over the group, jumping off of a patient’s head. “But I think it's time for a time out.”

“Someone stop him!” Baby-Doll shouts, for a moment sounding like an adult woman, dropping the baby talk.

Two of the last few patients grab Nightwing from behind as he lands, though not for long. Robin parkours off of the wall and throws a razor birdarang into the shoulder of one of them. As they reel back in pain, Batman pushes forward and slams the two into the metal walls.

In a single swift movement, Nightwing dashes forward, scoops up Baby-Doll, and locks her back in a cell. Baby-Doll fakes a temper tantrum and cries loudly as the vigilantes cause the last of the patients to run. Batman looks at the woman and she stops crying, now glaring at Batman.

“I’ll make sure you get the help you need,” Batman says. “Let’s go we need to-”

“Woo! They’ll never… find…” Polka Dot Man says as he runs into the hall, slowly looking around.

“Come  _ on _ , Abner,” Nightwing crosses his arm.

“I’ll, uh…” Polka Dot Man panics.

He removes his controller belt before locking himself in a cell. Robin chuckles as he notices a slight smirk on Batman’s face.

“There’s way too many D-listers tonight,” Batgirl says as they move on, traveling up several stairwells.

“Calling Condiment King a D-lister is giving him too much credit,” Nightwing quips as they enter a wide hallway.

The next area’s doors seem to have been ripped open, leading to the recreation area. Robin investigates as the red lights of the alarms continue to flash. He picks up a damp clump of dirt in confusion.

“Is this mud?” Robin questions.

“Or… clay,” Batgirl adds as the voices in the next room get louder and louder.

The four move together silently, finding many of the workout equipment and arts and crafts tossed to the side.

In the middle of the room is a group of six guards chained to a metal beam hooked to an electric current. Each guard has a green question mark painted on their face, squirming as the thin man walks around them. He carries a green cane that ends in the shape of a question mark and wears a green bowler hat. The ginger man occasionally tortures the guards by electrifying them.

“Wrong again!” the Riddler, as Robin identifies him, calls out. “I see why you all became rent-a-cops. How is it coming, Doctor Isley?”

Near the Eastern wall, Poison Ivy pushes a patient into a chair by an exposed control panel of wires. She gestures for another guard to come over and she obeys, hesitantly approaching the green-skinned botanist.

“Pamela, don’t let him manipulate you!” the patient says, terrified. “They’re both insane!”

“We’re in an asylum, Kirk,” Ivy says smoothly. “If it was up to me, these men would be my thralls. But now isn’t the time.

“I disagree with that hypothesis,” a man in a lab coat says. 

The patient squints through his cracked glasses, seeing the “doctor” has a multitude of scars on his face as if he was mauled by an animal. His short brown hair is a mess and nearly hides his eyes. Those eyes… Robin catches them for a moment and he didn’t register any emotion in them. Not in the slightest.  _ Jonathan Crane. It has to be- the Scarecrow. _

“I  _ am _ a psychologist after all,” Scarecrow says coldly. “Now- we still need your help.”

“What you’re asking me…” Kirk sighs. “I can’t do it. You know me.”

“Yes, I do,” Scarecrow says. “Doctor Kirk Langstrom- a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in Chemistry.”

“Right- in  _ Chemistry _ !” Kirk snaps. “I can’t break through the security grid, Dr. Crane.”

“Clayface?” Scarecrow says with a sigh. “Bring me the serum.”

An Arkham doctor steps from the shadows, walking up to Crane. As he approaches, he shifts and morphs as he transforms into a tall monster of clay. He does a quick theatrical bow before pulling a metal container out of his body.

“Batgirl and Robin, go upstairs,” Batman whispers. “We need to reinforce the security measures from the command center. They’re close to getting out of here.”

“We’ll hold them off,” Nightwing says as he stands. “We’ll buy some time.”

“Crane!” Batman says as he and Nightwing engage. “Let Langstrom go.”

“It took you longer than I expected, Batman,” Scarecrow says as he opens the metal box. “Did Two-Face actually put up a fight?”

“Batman, please!” Langstrom calls out. “Help me!”

At that, Batgirl and Robin quickly ascend the nearby stairwell, dodging small fires on the way. They vault over a table used to block the path, then use their grapple guns to go over a collapsed section of the stairs. Batgirl grabs on to Robin’s arm as a tile breaks under his foot.

“Careful, Littlewing,” Batgirl smiles.

“Ah, thanks Batgirl,” Robin chuckles, looking down as he blushes.

The pair sneak through the hall, quickly entering the next room and taking cover behind an overturned gurney. The room is truly massive, containing several specially designed cells. Each cell looks like it could withstand a bomb going off. Nearly forty feet up, at the ceiling is a secure viewing platform with restricted elevator access. Robin recognizes the layout from a visit a few months ago- Containment Room Beta.  _ This is the heart of the Asylum. This is where Arkham’s most dangerous and most powerful inmates are kept, _ Robin thinks.  _ Any metahuman or superpowered inmate goes in cells like these, each made for a specific inmate. _

“Guess that’s why Clayface and Poison Ivy are just below us,” Robin whispers. “Their cells were in here.”

“It’s empty now…” Batgirl says. “We just need to get up there- that’s the central controls.”

“I’m on your six,” Robin nods.

However, the pair stop in their tracks as they venture further inside. They realize that the floor is covered in blood with meat and body parts strewn across the place. Robin struggles to not turn a shade of green as he spots an overwhelming figure in a cell with an open door, ripping apart the body of a doctor with his teeth. The figure is  **tall** , even hunched over. His bounding muscles are covered in scales, some poking out of the pants he wears.

“Killer Croc,” the two whisper.

“That’s not it either,” Batgirl says. “Phosphorus is still strapped to his power siphon.”

Robin’s eyes dart to a cell near the far wall, about fifty feet from Killer Croc’s feeding grounds. The cell illuminates the room with a green, radioactive glow. Inside this lead-lined cell, is a skeletal man constantly burning with green fire. He screams in frustration as he struggles against his restraints that subdue his flames.

As if things couldn’t get worse, as they proceed, the room only gets colder and colder. Soon, as they near the elevator, their breath is visible as frost forms on the floor and walls. Before he has time to react, Robin slips and falls with a grunt as he hits the floor. The vigilantes freeze as the sound reverberates, causing Croc to raise his head and stand.

“What was ‘at?” Croc growls as he steps over the corpses to leave his cell.

“Lets go, Jason,” Batgirl whispers with panic in her voice.

“You go,” Robin says. “You know this tech stuff better than I do. I’ll distract him.”

“Robin- wait!” she snaps as he grapples up on top of a cell.

“Hey, Waylon!” Robin shouts with a confident smirk. “You need to switch up that skincare routine, buddy!”

“Fresh meat!” Croc roars hungrily, distracted as Batgirl enters the already unlocked elevator

Robin jumps off as Croc charges him, making the reptilian taste the metal cell. He rolls to his feet, twisting to face Waylon Jones as his eyes overflow with rage.

“Stay still!” Croc snaps, chasing after the boy.

“Yeah, I’d rather not, “ Robin quips as he begins to sprint, careful to avoid more slippery areas of the floor. “You’ll have to put the work in, Croc.”

“Batgirl!” Robin snaps, dodging a chair thrown by the Louisiana native. “What’s up with the temperature?”

“One- second!” Batgirl replies over comms, with energy blasts in the background. “It’s Freeze! He’s altering the facility’s climate control!”

“We need things online up there!” Batman says over comms as an explosion reverberates from below.

“We’re working on it!” Robin snaps, barely avoiding a powerful bite from Killer Croc as the windows above shatter.

Robin grapples up towards one of the horizontal beams, but is yanked back down by Croc. Robin groans as he is slammed hard into the metal floor, his grappling gun skidding across the room. He looks up, past Croc, at the control center as Mister Freeze crashes through and falls towards the ground. Just before he hits, the batrope around his ankles stops him from hitting the metal.

Robin shivers as the room only gets colder, rolling out of the way as Croc smashes the ground. Robin dodges repeated attacks from Croc, noticing as the brawler slows with every assault. As Robin lets his body dodge the repeated strikes, he formulates a plan.

“Batgirl!” Robin snaps. “Can you lock down a specific cell?”   
“Yeah, I think so!” she says. “I’m almost done reinforcing the systems.”

“On my signal, lock down Croc’s cell,” Robin says, sliding under Croc’s legs and popping up behind him.

“What are you planning?” she asks as Robin sprints towards Mister Freeze.

“You’ll see!”

“Get away from me!” Freeze yells. “You children do not know what you are doing!”

“Shut it, baldy,” Robin says, snatching the freeze gun from the ground. “Hey, Waylon! You’re slowing down! I’m tiring you out, huh?”   
“I’ll suck the marrow from your bones!” Croc screams as he chases the teenager.

Robin runs for his life while keeping an iron grip on the freeze gun, dodging and weaving around scattered obstacles. Killer Croc, on the other hand, bulldozes through the objects with a blind rage. Robin focuses on Croc’s bloody cell, the door still wide open.  _ Come on… _ Robin vaults over a gurney and ducks under a fallen beam as the normal lights are restored.  _ Nice work, Gordon _ , Robin smirks.

The Boy Wonder looks over his shoulder as he realizes Croc is picking up speed as the temperature rises. He grinds his teeth and steadies his mind as he runs inside the cell, careful to not trip on mutilated corpses. Unfortunately, Killer Croc slams Robin into the reinforced walls, standing over him in the middle of the cell.

“Robin!” Batgirl says in his ear. “I’m on my-”

“No! I need you up there,” he groans as Croc hoists him up like a ragdoll. “Do you trust me?”

“Always,” Batgirl says, sending a rush of adrenaline through Robin’s body.

“Who are you talking to, meatsack?” Croc growls, his razor sharp teeth mere inches from his face.

“Someone who’s smart enough to know she’s fallen into a trap.”

Before Jones can comprehend, Robin raises the freeze gun as best as he can with one hand and fires it into Croc’s leg. Croc drops him in pain as frost and ice covers that leg, making him visibly shiver from the cold. Robin rolls behind Croc and leaps out of the cell, hitting the ground hard.

“Batgirl!” Robin yells just before Croc’s cell door shuts hard and locks down.

Robin rolls over onto his back, gripping his side as he lets out a deep sigh. Light footsteps soon approach, belonging to Batgirl. She helps him up to his feet, checking for injuries.

“Smart plan, taking advantage of Croc’s cold-blooded nature,” Batgirl compliments.

“That means a lot coming from you, B.G.,” Robin smiles up at her. “Honestly, I’m surprised I'm in one piece.”   
“Same here,” she says. “Freeze ambushed me up there. He-”

The conversation is cut short as an explosion goes off below them, shaking the old building violently. They look at each other and, without another word, the two run down stairs together.

Batgirl and Robin descend the stairs as best they can, dodging obstacles quietly as to not expose their positions. Robin’s heart races as he follows Batgirl, anxious about what lies ahead. As they approach recreation, muffled voices are heard.

“Don't do this, Crane!” Batman yells.

“Please, Jonathan!” Kirk Langstrom begs. “Listen to him! That serum- it could kill me!”

“Your fear is obvious enough, Doctor,” Scarecrow says bluntly. “But that monster inside of you- what does  _ he _ fear?”

There is a brief moment of silence before blood curdling screams reverberate through the facility. Batgirl and Robin quickly arrive, just in time to offer backup.

The recreation area fills up with smoke as sparks fly from the fresh hole in the wall, exposing the asylum to the outside world. In the middle of the room, a tree has sprung up from the soil on the bottom of a guard’s boot. The guard herself lies unconscious in the branches. Clayface stands over Nightwing and an unconscious Riddler as thick roots wrap around Batman’s torso, Ivy far too happy to squeeze the life out of the Dark Knight.

Robin’s focus lands on Scarecrow and Doctor Langstrom as he is nearly mesmerized by the events going on. Scarecrow steps away before running out of the hole, fleeing Arkham. Doctor Langstrom, with an empty syringe still lodged in his neck. Clayface attempts to follow Scarecrow as Kirk falls to his hands and knees, screaming bloody murder as his clothes begin to rip and his body begins to shift.

Before the vigilantes can even attempt to stop Ivy and Clayface, Kirk Langstrom fades away as his bone structure and biology fully changes as he transforms into the terrifying and terrified Man-Bat. The monster lets out an ear piercing scream, flapping its impressive wingspan as Ivy and Clayface flee.

“Someone shut that thing up!” Robin yells out in pain as he unfolds a razor birdarang.

“We can’t hurt him,” Nightwing says, whiteknuckling his escrima sticks. “Dr. Langstrom isn’t in control.”

Man-Bat leaps forward, slamming Batman into the wall and knocking Nightwing out of the way. Robin charges forward as Batman struggles, trying to not get his face chewed off.

“Kirk, you need to calm down!” Batman growls as Robin manages to pull Man-Bat away for a moment.

“We can’t pull our punches here!” Robin snaps angrily. “We-”

Robin is silenced as two of Man-Bat’s claws slash into his cheek. Before Man-Bat has another moment to act, Nightwing vaults over the hybrid and pins his arms behind his back, using his escrima sticks to electrify him. Batgirl rushes in, using a batarang to restrain the creature with a batrope just before Batman knocks out the monster with a single blow.

The four vigilantes stand over the unconscious monster and in the damaged Arkham Asylum, considering the faults and missteps they made tonight. Robin’s mind lingers on some still unexplained mysteries as he looks at the new hole in the wall.  _ How did this happen? They wouldn’t have any explosives… _ Robin takes note of debris from the wall, thrown across the opposite side of the room- not onto the grounds of Arkham.  _ The explosion was on the other side- another military grade detonation _ , he figures.  _ Could this really be the Joker? It’s not at all his usual style. Maybe Scarecrow planned it. He was  _ **_way_ ** _ too confident. Too sure he was going to make it out. _

Whatever the truth may be, Robin puts these mysteries to the side in order to help the authorities secure the island, capturing all the stragglers that they can. After this long night of securing the asylum, they take a head count and find that over a dozen inmates are missing. The Boy Wonder and the Dark Knight share a tired look, knowing they’ll have to kick it up a notch if they want to keep Gotham safe from these lunatics.


	13. Old Connections

Kane Square is alight with more than just the advertising screens and automatic billboards as the G.C.P.D. works to evacuate several city blocks. The red and blue flashing lights pollute the night sky as Batman and Robin glide into a building under construction. The place is going to be an upscale nightclub and theater, but at the moment… It's the location of a particle dispersal bomb, guarded by mask wearing terrorists.

Batman and Robin stand on a hanging steel beam, looking down at the unpainted and unplastered room below. Robin studies the armed men below, all of which wear torn burlap sacks on their heads. The masks have eyes and mouths cut into them, mimicking a terrifying face.

“Remind you of anyone?” Batman questions.

“Scarecrow,” Robin says with a nod. “He’s stepping up his game.”

The two leap from their perch, striking down on the armed criminals like bolts of lightning. Robin slams two men together before dodging a spray of bullets. Batman roundhouse kicks a man into Robin, allowing the Boy Wonder to grab his arm, break it, and smash his face against a steel pole.

“This is too fast,” Batman considers, using his cape to block incoming gunfire. “It’s been two days since the breakout. How is he so organized, so quickly?”

“This whole thing is weird,” Robin says, stringing a gunman up by his ankles and making him scream. “The only way Crane could get his hands on one of A.R.G.U.S’ bombs would be if… if…”

“Joker,” Batman finishes, breaking someone’s back before throwing him at two others. “He used the weapons he stole to stage the breakout and clear the way for Crane’s escape.”

Batman and Robin stand together, around the unconscious bodies and construction equipment. Robin paces back and forth as Batman activates the holographic screen on his gauntlet. The hologram depicts the layout of the building they stand in, showing a large red blip a few floors below.

“Crane’s bomb is bound to give off powerful readings,” Batman says. “We need to move fast.”  
“None of this makes sense, Batman!” Robin says frustrated. “Crane had to get this bomb from Joker, so Joker _wanted_ him to escape. Why?”

“Why do you think?” Batman asks, crossing his arms.

“A test?” Robin raises a brow. “ _Right now_? If that thing goes off, everyone from here to Metropolis will be dosed in Fear Gas.”

“We have time,” Batman says. “When the bomb’s ready, they’ll need to use the elevator to move it to the top floor. Now…”

“Joker… he’d love to see the streets overrun with terrified lunatics,” Robin says. “But, that… that doesn’t explain why he’s not here.”

“Joker _would_ want the credit for this,” Batman admits. “But he would never be this straightforward. We just need to be on guard.”

“Copy that,” Robin nods. “I’m right behind you.”

The Dynamic Duo move down a spiral staircase to a more finished room. Most of the area is a dance floor with tables and a high-class bar dotting the outskirts of the room. On the far side of the room is a large, central elevator currently closed from a security lockdown. Like before, this area is patrolled by several armed guards, some of which move pressurized gas canisters to the elevator. The guards moving the cannisters don’t wear the sack masks, but gas masks. _Fear Gas_ , Robin recognizes. _It has to be. That means we still have time._

Robin leaps from the staircase, landing on one of the hanging lights as he throws several razor birdarangs down at the terrorists. The sharp projectiles cut into the body armor and muscle tissue of the enemy, making a few fall to the ground. Robin does a somersault in the air, landing on the bar with a confident grin.

“This is the weirdest dance party if ever seen,” Robin jokes. “Let’s play some music! Bust some moves!”

“Kill the kid!” one of the terrorists snaps, causing the room to open fire as Batman is all but ignored.

“That’s a little too blunt for me!” Robin says, flipping through the air as bullets fly. “I’d give that henchman one-liner a 3/10.”

As Robin lands behind a gunman, he throws a razor birdarang into the thigh of one of them as he breaks the knee of the man he stands by. He rolls out of the way as Batman moves in the shadows, approaching the elevator. Robin pops up from behind a table, kicking it into two of the enemies before clocking another, breaking his jaw in a single punch.

As Robin distracts the guards, Batman nears the elevator, choking out one of the guards with a gas mask. Amidst the fighting, Robin spots Scarecrow himself exit the elevator, flanked by two gunmen.

“Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, Crane,” Batman glares. “Deactivate the bomb.”

“While I’m on the cusp of greatness?” Scarecrow gloats, holding his scythe in two hands. “Imagine: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania- all filled with these corrupted minds falling apart from the brain’s own fear! Think of the research purposes! I could truly eliminate fear from the populace!”

“Like your father did to you?”

Scarecrow’s smile drops as he stares back at Batman as he rests a hand on a gas canister. The gunmen open fire, forcing Batman to get back as Scarecrow opens the cannisters, releasing Fear Gas directly into Batman’s face. The Caped Crusader stumbles, coughing violently.

“Kill them both,” Scarecrow snaps. “Progress will not be stopped.”

“Batman!” Robin says in a panic as Batman falls to one knee. “Hang in there!”

Robin kicks a terrorist in the side, breaking several ribs upon impact. He dodges the gunfire as the room is filled with the fear gas. The enemies without gas masks begin going crazy as they hallucinate, some of them killing each other. Robin quickly removes a rebreather from his belt, putting it on his face in order to filter out the toxic gas.

“Master Jason,” Alfred says in his ear as he struggles to get past the deranged guards. “According to my readings, Scarecrow is currently moving the bomb into the elevator. He must be planning to detonate on the top floor.”

“I’m a little preoccupied, Penny-One!” Robin says, grabbing a drink mixer and clocking a terrorist. “I need to get to Batman.”  
“Please hurry,” Alfred says with worry. “His vitals are staggeringly low.”

Robin kicks a gunman hard in the trachea before sprinting to Batman, dodging and weaving the deranged enemies. When he discovers Batman, he finds him beating the ever-loving crap out of the masked men.

“WHERE IS HE!?” Batman screams in fury, breaking the man’s gas mask more every time he punches. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?”

“Batman!” Robin shouts, pulling the Dark Knight off of the man. “Snap out of it!”

“There you are, Joker…” Batman glares. “Where is he?”  
“Batman, it’s me,” Robin says, backing up. “Robin, remember?”

Batman attacks Robin recklessly, causing the Boy Wonder to dodge, kicking Batman hard in the belt. Batman headbuts him, pinning him to the wall with force. Robin winces in pain as he pulls out a razor birdarang, stabbing Batman in the arm and allowing him to get free. _Come on! Think!_

“You want to play, Batman?” Robin says, faking a devilish grin. “Try and get me!”

Batman charges after the Boy Wonder, throwing razor sharp batarangs at his protégé. Robin ignores the blades cutting into his arms as he rushes the elevator. He pries open the elevator doors as Batman’s charging footsteps get louder and louder. Just as the doors are thrown open, Batman tackles the teenager and the two fall into the large elevator shaft, quickly slamming into the roof of the elevator itself as it goes up.

“You can’t keep going like this, Master Jason!” Alfred says. “Master Bruce has a shot of adrenaline on his belt in compartment 8A.”

“It could jumpstart his mental functions,” Robin gasps as Batman chokes him, pinning him against the metal vents. “Knock him out of-”

Batman punches Robin hard in the face, breaking through the metal vents. The two fall down into the elevator, landing amidst Scarecrow and his guards. Scarecrow jumps back, watching as the two fight. Batman hits Robin hard in the side of the head, disorienting him. Batman kicks him off of him, causing Robin to slam into the wall.

“Should we…” one of the guards says.

“No,” Scarecrow says, leaning on his scythe. “Let’s see who kills who first.”

“Where is Jason!?” Batman screams as he slams Robin into the wall.

As Batman is focused on killing Robin, the teenager pries open a compartment on Batman’s utility belt, grabbing a small syringe. Robin, as his vision begins to darken, stabs Batman in the arm through the hole in his suit made by Robin’s birdarang.

Batman lets out a sigh as he falls to the ground. Robin gasps for air as he checks his mentor’s pulse.

“He’s alive, Master Jason. Even if barely,” Alfred says with a sigh of relief. “His amygdalae have greatly calmed. I imagine he won’t be conscious for long, though. The toxin has been very taxing.”

“Robin- wait…” Batman groans. “Stand by- you’ll need my…”

“I doubt that’s an option, B-Man,” Robin glares as he stands, leaving his adoptive father to drift into unconsciousness.

Robin stands alone against Scarecrow and his gunmen, all of which look ready to kill to defend the large fear bomb in the center of the elevator. The once peppy Boy Wonder gives a death glare to Scarecrow but, as always, the criminal is unphased.

“You nearly killed him,” Robin says, devoid of emotion. “You’re dead, Crane.”

“Stop him,” Crane says calmly, prompting for the men to attack as the elevator continues to rise.

One of the terrorists lunges with a switchblade but misses as Robin dodges and disarms him. Robin clocks him, breaking his nose as he stabs the switchblade between his ribs. He shoves the man to the side as he runs forward, wall running in order to attack from above.

Robin kicks a gunman hard in the face, knocking out several front teeth. The man groans in pain as he falls on his back, only to promptly have his sternum cracked by Robin’s armored boot. Robin dodges an array of bullets as the elevator slows to a stop. The boy grabs a handgun from the man with the missing teeth, quickly firing the bullets at his current target. The gunman falls to the ground as a dozen bullets go into his leg, groin, and abdomen.

“Stop him!” Scarecrow yells as the doors open to the exposed top floor. “I’ve come too far!”

Robin rolls to the side, dodging another spray of armor piercing rounds as Scarecrow pushes the cart carrying the bomb. He watches as he guides it to the concrete base of the penthouse. The Boy Wonder charges, breaking the terrorist’s hand and knocking his gun to the ground. He bends the arm behind his back, breaking it before pulling as he presses his armored boot against the small of the enemy’s back until he hears a resounding _CRACK_.

Robin stands for a moment, catching his breath among the beaten and broken enemies. He knows he should slow down and think… consider the best way to proceed. As he looks at an unconscious Batman, he is filled with nothing but rage. The Boy Wonder looks to Scarecrow as he frantically attempts to ready the bomb, all of his protection gone.

“Give it up, Crane!” Robin screams as he approaches. “I know you haven’t finished filling that thing with the toxins.”

“That’s true, Robin,” Scarecrow says, not turning from his work. “However, what Fear Gas I have already prepared is enough to at least stretch across Gotham Harbor. Millions will still be affected… millions of new subjects.”

“I don’t think so,” Robin glares. “You almost killed him. Do you realize what that means?”

“I’m not the only one who-”

“Shut up!” Robin snaps, throwing three razor birdarangs into Scarecrow’s back.

Crane doubles over, using the bomb to not fall to the ground. He attempts to enter a code as Robin charges.

“If he dies, Gotham goes to shit!” Robin snaps, dodging a surprise attack from Scarecrow’s scythe. “If he dies- if he dies, I’d have no one left.”

“So you’re afraid of being abandoned,” Scarecrow says after reeling from a broken nose- a gift from Robin’s fist. “Overly common. You’re nothing special.”

“Don’t psychoanalyze me, freak!” Robin says, checking him through the plaster wall. “You’re a monster!”

Robin stomps on Scarecrow’s arm, snapping it like a twig. Groaning in pain, he tries to attack with his other hand using his scythe. Robin easily catches it, snatching it from his grasp. Robin hits him across the face repeatedly with the blunt end of the scythe. Scarecrow, barely conscious, manages to grab a screwdriver from the ground and stabs Robin in the leg before kicking him away. Robin glares as he swipes his scythe, cutting across Scarecrow’s face and making the man scream bloody murder.

He tosses the weapon to the side and begins just beating violently on Crane’s face like a crazed animal. The burlap sack of a mask rips on every hit, blood staining the old fabric. Robin seems to ignore or not even notice the blood splattering on his own face.

“I have had nothing but shit in my life!” Robin growls, dislocating Scarecrow’s jaw. “Everything- everything I touch turns to garbage and leaves! And now you almost take away the one good thing? You don’t deserve to breathe!”

Robin gives a solid punch to Scarecrow’s face, knocking off the part of his nose that the scythe cut through like butter. He goes in for another hit but a powerful grip steals his arm, yanking him off of Jonathan Crane.

“Jason!” Batman screams, likely bruising Jason’s bicep. “I said stand down!”

“Batman!” Robin says, exhausted and covered in blood. “He was going to kill you! Kill Gotham! I had to-!”  
“Look at him!” Batman snaps. “Does he look like a substantial threat!?”

Robin, hands shaking violently, looks down at Scarecrow. He winces as he finds it almost impossible to identify him. His cheeks have almost caved in. Much of his teeth are scattered, broken at odd places. Bone sticks out of his arms and legs. A large and deep, painful gash lays across his face. Crane is missing a large chunk of his nose and half of two of his fingers.

“Batman-”

“Go. Get to your bike. I’ll handle this,” Batman scowls. “We’ll talk at the cave.”

Robin clenches his fists but decides to listen, leaving Batman alone as he returns to his vehicle.

Robin takes the long way, but eventually returns to the Batcave. He comes to a steady stop on one of the suspended platforms as Alfred approaches with an unreadable look on his face. Jason sighs as he removes his domino mask, still sitting on the bike.

“Master Jason…” Alfred ventures. “Are you alright?”

“Good as ever, Alfred,” Jason lies through his teeth as he dismounts.

“I see,” Alfred nods. “I see you’ve forgotten our acting lessons.”

“Funny,” Jason rolls his eyes, sitting at the Batcomputer. “What gave it away?”

“The blood, mainly,” Alfred says, opening a first aid kit. “Where are you hurt?”

“I got stabbed in the leg,” Jason says, prompting Alfred to pick up some disinfectant.

“So, what happened out there?” Alfred asks as he cleans the wound. “I couldn’t see you, but I- I heard it.”

“It- well, I…” Jason stumbles. “I stopped Scarecrow. Stopped the bomb.”

Alfred nods as he patches up Jason’s wounds, knowing to not press much further. After he finishes, Jason takes his leave, removing his Robin suit and changing into his regular clothes. _He deserved it, didn’t he?_ Jason finally questions. _Scarecrow’s a monster, but Bruce was angry. I- I lost my temper, that’s all._

Jason dwindles on his thoughts for nearly an hour and a half, until Batman finally arrives. He and Alfred stand on the central platform, watching as the Batmobile comes to a harsh site just before Batman exits. Bruce quickly pulls the cowl off of his head as he approaches.

“Master Bruce,” Alfred says, stepping forward. “You must-”

“Not now, Alfred,” Bruce glares. “Jason.”

“Don’t talk to him like that!” Jason defends.

“Stop talking,” Bruce says as he firmly grabs him by the arm. “Scarecrow is comatose because of what you did to him. The doctors don’t know when he’ll wake up- or if he ever will. And those other men in the elevator-”

“Were terrorists!” Jason says, shoving Bruce and getting his arm free. “Scarecrow would have driven the entire city insane!”  
“You had no restraint!” Bruce yells as he slaps Jason across the face, in a moment of weakness.

Jason freezes, staring off to the side as Bruce and Alfred stand in silence. Jason slowly looks to Bruce, hate burning in his eyes.

“Jason…” Bruce says, placing a hand on Jason’s shoulder. “I- I’m taking you out of the field for now. You-”  
“Don’t touch me,” Jason snaps. “I need some sleep.”

Jason leaves Alfred and Bruce, hurrying up the stairs to the Manor. The young teen is infuriated more by every passing moment, balling his fists until his knuckles turn white.

Over the next few weeks, Jason Todd remains on guard duty in the Batcave. He feels as if he’ll die of boredom every night, struggling to stay focused on the security feeds. Even the occasional visits from Dick and Barbara haven’t been substantial enough to calm his nerves. Unfortunately, without his usual backup, Batman has been unable to round up the other escaped Arkham patients.

One night, as Alfred cleans upstairs in the manor, Jason begins to idly flip a birdarang between his fingers. He props his feet up on the Batcomputer just as a small alert goes off. He frowns, folding the birdarang and setting his feet down.

“I must be dreaming,” Jason mumbles. “Something interesting for once? Let’s see…”

Jason opens the security feed, finding a proximity alarm was set off near St. Peter’s in Coventry. _Probably just a bird crashing through a window_ , Jason thinks, rolling his eyes. _Who would… want…_ As he studies the feed, he spots a thin woman exiting the church. She wears a hat, sunglasses, and a dark jacket as if she’s trying too hard to conceal her identity. From what Jason can tell, she has dark, greying hair and is in her thirties. _I should at least check for a record_ , Jason thinks. _Besides… there’s something about her…_

Jason runs the facial recognition software for a few moments, waiting for the results as he tries to figure out why she seems so familiar to him. With a single beep, Jason’s heart stops as he’s hit by a ton of bricks. The Batcomputer displays a mugshot of the woman, dated 2009. Her face is gaunt and her pale, blue eyes bloodshot; all very indicative of her listed charges of use and possession of narcotics. Jason’s eyes drift to the message from the Batcomputer, listed below the rap sheet:

‘Person of interest identified as Catherine Todd’.

Jason reruns the software again and again, surely it’s a mistake. _My mom is dead_ , Jason thinks back to the night she died. _I know it. I held her… she’s dead…_ However, it doesn’t matter how many times he tries the scan- the result is the same every time.

“This is… no, it’s impossible!” Jason snaps in frustration.

“Master Jason?” Alfred approaches with a feather duster in hand. “Is everything… oh, my.”

“Alfred,” Jason says, quickly wiping tears from his eyes as he stands. “I have to go. I need to find her.”

“Let’s slow down for a moment,” Alfred says, setting the duster down as he follows the teenager. “Your mum… she’s-”

“Dead, Alfred,” Jason says as he opens the case containing the Robin suit. “Or, at least… she had to. I _know_ she died, Alfred. This isn’t possible, but…”

“Everything in here was made by Mister Fox,” Alfred adds, equally perplexed. “He rarely makes mistakes.”

“I know it’s a long shot, but I need this, Alfred,” Jason says, looking at the older man. “I need to at least investigate.”  
“I…” he sighs. “I won’t tell Master Bruce. Not yet, but you need to hur-”

Jason hugs Alfred tight, prompting the Brit to hug him back. Alfred gives him a slight kiss on his forehead before the boy suits up and rides out on his Robincycle.

Robin rides through Gotham City on autopilot, speeding and cutting through traffic on his way to Coventry. He spends the entire ride trying to wrap his brain around the night’s events. Nothing makes sense anymore. Has his mom been alive all this time? Is she still using? If she didn't die that night… what _really_ happened? Whose ashes did he scatter in Gotham Harbor?

Despite his best efforts, Robin doesn’t even find a trace of his mother once he arrives. He searches the entire district, but there’s nothing. If Alfred didn’t also see it, Robin would have thought himself crazy. So, nearly as quickly as he arrived, Robin leaves Coventry for the Batcave. Alfred keeps his word, thankfully for Jason, as Bruce is never informed of Jason’s excursion. For the time being.

The next day, while Bruce sleeps off the injuries of the night before, Jason sneaks out of Wayne Manor. He takes the path through the Western garden, careful not to trample any flowers as he cuts through the hedge. Taking a running start, Jason leaps up onto the gate, clinging onto the old stone supports. He uses the metal bars to pull himself up and over the fence before making for the main roads.

After getting away from the manor, Jason takes a long cab ride to the opposite side of Gotham. The teenager’s mind is a tangled mess of confusion and guilt during the entire ride, his foot tapping nearly drilling a hole through the floor. He doesn’t look up from his phone until the cab eventually comes to a stop. Jason pays the driver before stepping out without a word.

He looks up at the metal security fence that opens as he approaches. Jason pauses in the courtyard as he shows his ID to a security guard. He looks up at the large sign above the door, reading, “Blackgate Penitentiary”. _Come on, Jay_ , Jason tells himself. _You’ve faced down a bloodthirsty Killer Croc- this is no big deal._ Jason reluctantly goes inside, following a guard to the security desk.

“Just sign in here, Mister Todd,” the guard says. “We’ll call you in when he’s ready.”

Jason nods before signing his name on the visitation log before taking a seat. He does his best to distract himself, but the next five minutes feel more like five hours.

Eventually, a guard comes out and escorts Jason to the visitation area. Along the back wall are several plexiglass stations with a wired phone on hand. At each station, a visitor chats with an inmate on the other side of the glass. At each station, except for one. One stool is vacant on Jason's side, but on the other sits an older man with greying, auburn hair and grey stubble. His blue eyes light up as he notices Jason approach, quickly picking up the phone. Jason smiles slightly as he sits, slowly picking up the phone.

“Hey, Dad,” Jason greets after a long silence. “Prison hasn’t helped you shave off the dad-bod, I guess.”

“Jason,” Willis Todd smiles, a tear running down his face. “I… you’re so… I’ve missed you, Son.”

“I missed you too, Dad,” Jason smiles. “I, uh… look, about not… coming earlier… I-”

“Don’t worry about it, Jay,” Willis replies. “If my old man was dragged away for murder… Hell, I’d never leave that manor on the hill.”

“So, you have TV in here,” Jason chuckles. “You know about Bruce Wayne.”

“I’m glad you’re out of the Row, kid,” Willis smiles. “It’s no place for you, but… how’d this even happen?”

“After Mom…” Jason lets out a sigh. “After she died, I ended up at Ma Gunn’s. Eventually, Bruce Wayne decided to spread his generosity to Crime Alley. Saw something in me, I guess.”

“I’m- I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, Jason,” Willis sighs. “When Catherine died… I wanted to be there for you. For the funeral… but they wouldn’t let me.”

“Dad, don’t worry about that,” Jason assures. “There wasn’t a funeral anyway. What money mom and I had between us, I used for the cremation.”  
“What’d you do with the ashes?”

“Scattered them in the harbor,” Jason replies. “She loved the boardwalk.”

“She did,” Willis sniffles. “She really did.”

“It’s, uh…” Jason begins, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s funny, I kind of wanted to talk about Mom.”

“What do you mean?” Willis asks as the guard tries to get the visitors to wrap it up.

“If you knew that Mom was out there somewhere- still alive…” Jason ventures nervously. “Would you go after her? Even if… if it was just to see her one more time?”

“Jason, what is this?”

“I- it’s too much to explain right now, Dad,” Jason sighs. “Hypothetically, what would you do?”

“I-”

“Come on, Todd,” a guard on the other side says. “Time’s up.”

“I’d do whatever I’d have to do to find her,” Willis says quickly. “Why are you asking this?”  
“I promise I’ll explain soon, Dad,” Jason swears. “I’ll be back to see you after I deal with this.”

Willis attempts to say something but the guard apologizes as he hangs up the phone. Jason watches as, once again, his father is ushered away by the authorities. Not wishing to hang around any longer, Jason leaves Blackgate in a cab headed for Wayne Manor.

The next night, Jason returns to his post at the Batcave. Jason didn’t feel the need to mention his visit to his father, not wanting to invite too many questions. _I know Bruce could help with my search_ , Jason thinks as he walks down the stairs from the study. _Hell, he could probably make better sense of it than Alfred or I, but I need this. I need to get to the bottom of this myself._

Jason reaches the central platform of the Batcave, finding Barbara Gordon sitting at the Batcomputer as Dick and Bruce suit up. Barbara wears her Batgirl suit without the cowl pulled over her head, honing her focus on the various screens. Dick looks over at Jay as he magnetically latches his eskrima sticks to his back.

“Hey, Littlewing,” Dick smiles. “How’re you doing?”

“I’d rather be suiting up with you three,” Jason shrugs. “What’re you doing here?”

“We may have found Pamela,” Barbara says. “We’ll need all of us for this one.”

“I can-”

“I’ll call you in if we need backup, Jason,” Bruce says, clicking his belt. “You can help us out from here.”

For once, the Boy Wonder doesn’t argue and instead just nods. He sits at the Batcomputer once Batgirl stands, happy to put his attention on the missing Catherine Todd. Batgirl gives him a concerned look but he shrugs her off. Within a few minutes, the vigilantes leave Jason and Alfred to themselves in the cave.

For the next several hours, Jason keeps an eye on his allies- watching as they search the city for Poison Ivy. However, even by midnight, there is no sign of the metahuman. That’s when Jason’s attention is snatched away.

As Alfred walks up from behind, an alert goes off, prompting Jason to check the location. One of the cameras by the docks along Gotham Harbor picks up a match from the facial recognition software, making Jason's heart race. The live feed shows Catherine Todd, no longer in her thinly veiled disguise, entering an old warehouse.

“Master Jason-”

“Alfred, I have to,” Jason says, very quickly suiting up in his Robin gear.

“I cannot keep hiding these things from Master Bruce,” Alfred puts his foot down.

“You don’t have to,” Jason sighs. “Just tell him when I get back, okay? Please, Alfred. I’m sorry for putting you through it, but…”

“Very well,” Alfred says, giving the young man a pat on the shoulder. “Just be careful and hurry back.”

“I always do,” Jason replies with a smile.

Jason finishes suiting up but decides to leave his earpiece in the cave. _I can’t have Bruce tracking me_ , Jason thinks. _I know he’ll want to stop me._

Robin speeds across the city, all the way to Gotham Harbor. His bike comes to a rough stop near the warehouse from the security feed. He leaves his bike and walks towards the building, finding the door cracked open. Docked right next to the warehouse’s unloading area is a large freighter, but it too looks abandoned. He hesitates, his heart racing, but enters the dark building.

Only a few scattered lights are lit in the room with a handful of shipping containers. Robin hears a pair of footsteps echo in the dark as he looks around confused. He steps forward, into the glare of one of the hanging lights.

“Mom?” Robin ventures. “It’s me. It’s- it’s Jason. I-”

“What a coincidence!” a voice says behind him. “Funny running into you here!”

Jason turns around, his adrenaline pumping as he sees the owner of the voice: the Clown Prince of Crime himself. Before he even has a chance to react to his presence, the Joker raises a crowbar like a baseball bat and cracks it across Jason’s head.

The boy falls onto his back, blood trailing down onto his face as the Joker stands over him, laughing like a madman. Robin grabs at his belt, though disoriented, trying to alert Batman. However, before he can, the Joker stomps down hard on his hand.

“Not so fast!” Joker laughs. “You haven’t even heard the punchline, Jason!”

Jason raises a hand to brace himself but fails. The Joker’s laugh reverberates in the teen’s mind as the crowbar hits him in the temple hard enough to knock him out cold.


	14. A Death in the Family

Robin slowly wakes to a not so gentle rocking and creaking as he lies face down on a cold, metallic floor. The teenager groans, feeling the dry, coagulated blood from his head on the metal. He slowly stands, pressing his hand against the steel wall for balance. The Boy Wonder looks around but only finds himself in pure darkness. He activates the night vision filter in his mask, discovering that he’s inside what seems to be a shipping container.

“What the Hell…” Robin sighs. “What’d you lead me into, Mom?”

Robin searches his belt, looking for something to help him get out. However, the Joker must have stolen all of the contents. There’s no birdarangs, explosive gel, smoke pellets, or even shark repellent. As a last resort, he attempts to send an emergency signal to the Batcave. Though, of course, the recall beacon is damaged beyond repair.  _ Time to go back to my roots _ , Jason thinks with a shrug.

The young boy begins to scream and curse out anyone who would listen. He bangs on the walls, screaming as loud as he can until he hears angry banging in response.

“Shut the hell up!” a muffled voice says from the outside.

“What’re you going to do about it, asshole!?” Robin snaps with a smirk.

“I’ll put a bullet in you, twerp!”

“Shut up, dude,” another voice says. “Tha boss said not to open it.”

“Oh, are you scared of an angsty teenager?” Robin teases. “I didn’t know Joker hired pussies!”

“Fuck it!” one of the voices says.

Robin jumps up, pressing his hands and feet against the top corners of the walls to keep himself up by the ceiling. The doors swing open and two armed men step inside, one of them angrily gripping his handgun. Both men wear clown makeup.

“Who’s the pussy… now…” he says confidently.

“Shit,” the other one says. “How’d he get out?”

“I didn’t,” Robin says as he jumps down.

Before the clowns can react, Robin leaves the container and seals the doors behind him.

An alarm sounds all around him as Robin runs through a large room of shipping containers. He knocks out a guard by slamming his head into a metal door before leaving the room. He pushes through another large door but suddenly stops as he comes to railings. Robin’s suspicions and fears are realized as he grips the rails and feels the salty seabreeze on his face. He is blinded by the sunlight for a moment but, as soon as it fades, he realizes that he’s on a cargo freighter in the middle of the ocean.

“Oh…” Robin says. “Son of a-”

Before he could finish the thought, the boy is hit hard in the back of the head. The Boy Wonder, once again, is out cold.

At some point, Jason comes back to consciousness as he’s being dragged across a wooden dock. His vision fades in and out as he feels the unbearable heat on his skin. As his head hangs down, he sees the Joker walking a few feet ahead, venturing through the unending sand. Once again, Jason’s vision peters out.

His vision comes back as he’s tossed onto the concrete floor of an abandoned warehouse. The teenager rolls over, straining against the restraints on his wrists and ankles, watching as Joker approaches with two of his henchmen.

“You’re awake!” Joker greets. “You nearly slept through the whole trip!”

“Where am I?” Robin asks, his head still spinning. “Where is Catherine Todd?”

“Ah, shut up!” one of the Joker thugs says, kicking Jason in the side.

“I told you…” the Joker says, shooting the henchman in the back of the head. “Don’t touch the boy.”

“Boss… I…” the other one says.

“Put him in the chair,” the Joker says, uncharacteristically serious. “And clean up this mess.”

As ordered, the henchman drags Jason to a chair and chains him to it before cleaning up his friend’s body. Once he’s done, both clowns leave Jason alone in the dark room only illuminated by a single hanging light.

Jason struggles at the restraints as he frantically looks around the room. He looks for something- anything- that could help him, but there is absolutely nothing.  _ Bruce, hurry up _ , Jason thinks.  _ You’ll find me. I know it, but I can’t just sit here. _

“Come on!” Jason screams. “What the hell is this? What’s your game, freak!?”

His rantings don’t elicit a response which only makes him scream in anger.

Jason waits in the chair for what feels like hours. He can’t even tell how much time has really passed due to the room’s windows being boarded up. It’s this moment when the hunger pains really hit like a punch to the gut.

His pain subsides as a metal door creaks open in the darkness and quickly closes. He hears a set of footsteps that echo through the stone building. The footsteps are light and, based on the time between them, the person is tall. Likely lanky.

“Are you ever going to tell me what this is, Joker?” Robin asks.

“Would a comedian bluntly tell you the punchline at the start of his set?” Joker asks as he comes into view, chuckling at the teenager. “You’ll have to hear this joke out, Jason.”

“You know my name,” Robin states. “So, what? You looked under my mask while I was out?”

“Oh, I’m afraid I’ve known your little secret for a while, my boy,” Joker says. “Not too hard to figure out, honestly.”

Joker taps his concealed weapon as he walks to a table only slightly obscured by shadow. Jason watches as the Joker adjusts the flower on his suit before grabbing some items from the table.

The Joker turns back towards Jason with a deadpan look on his face. Jason’s eyes drift down to the crowbar in his right hand and the switchblade in his left.

“If you think I’m scared of you, you have another thing coming,” Jason glares. “Where’s my mother?”

“She’s around,” Joker says calmly as he approaches. “You showed some impressive detective skills.”

“Don’t patronize me,” Jason frowns. “You laid some neon breadcrumbs.”

“But you still followed.”

“What do you want from me?” Jason asks. “And why are you… like this?”

Joker leans forward, pressing the switchblade to Jason’s throat. He is devoid of a smile, the dark look behind his eyes sending a shiver down Jason’s spine.

“This is reality, my boy,” Joker says in a harsh whisper. “Sooner or later, you’ll tell me what I want. Who is Batman?”

Jason laughs in the Joker’s face, even with a blade at his throat. The clown glares at him as the blade nicks Jason’s neck.

“If you think I’ll sell Batman out,” Jason chuckles. “You’re crazier than I gave you credit for.”

“It’s no matter,” the Joker says, pulling the blade away. “You  _ will _ bend to me, Todd. You’re just making things more… enjoyable.”

“Oh, okay,” Jason rolls his eyes. “And how do you-”

The Joker shuts Jason up by hitting him hard in the jaw with the crowbar. Before Jason can recover, he’s hit again and again, and again. Blood trickles down the side of Jason’s head as his busted lip bleeds. He spits the blood at Joker as the clown stabs the switchblade into Jason’s thigh, making the boy wriggle and groan in pain.

“Who  _ is _ he?” Joker asks.

“Harvey Dent,” Jason glares, trying to ignore the pain.

Joker folds the switchblade and walks back to the table of tools.

As his back is turned, Jason struggles against the restraints. The cold metal stings against his fresh wounds, making him wince. Jason tries to recount every lesson and every skill he’s learned over the past year and a half. However, nothing he can remember even helps his predicament.

When he returns his focus to the Joker, the clown approaches with a sharp metal rod, with the end burning red hot. Robin’s eyes widen as he twists and struggles, making no progress in getting himself free. Joker stabs the hot rod into Jason’s side, burning that part of the suit and cutting into Jason’s abdomen. The boy screams in pain as the burning weapon pierces between two of his ribs.

“Batman isn’t coming for you, Jason,” the Joker taunts. “There’s no point in resisting.”

“Let me out of here, jackass!” Jason screams in pain. “I’ll rip your head off by myself!”

“Who is he, Jason?” Joker demands as he presses the burning metal against Jason’s arm. “What has he ever done for you?”

“I’ll kill you!!”

“One moment, please,” the Joker says, walking back to the table to set the weapon down.

Jason breathes heavily as so much of his body aches. He doesn’t even bother fighting against his restraints as he feels the burns in and outside of his body. He groans in pain as his jaw and cheekbones hurt more and more by the moment.

Jason is caught off guard as the Joker returns, pulling two canisters of pressurized gas behind him. Jason furrows his brow as the Joker sets it down near the Boy Wonder, connecting the tube of an oxygen mask to it.

“What… what is that?” he asks as the villain prepares it.

“Just a little something from a mutual friend,” Joker says. “I hear you really did a number on him.”

“What is it!?” Jason snaps before Joker straps the mask to Jason’s face.

The clown turns a knob on the canister and in a moment, a gas is directly pumped into Jason’s mouth and nose. He coughs violently as he feels sick to his stomach, still hurting everywhere.

Joker glares as Jason’s vision shifts and swirls, the room looking as if it's filling with a brown gas. Suddenly, the Joker “changes”. He becomes taller and lankier, his fingernails changing into claws and his teeth morphing into razor-sharp fangs.  _ Scarecrow _ , Jason realizes as he hyperventilates.

“No, no, no…” Jason panics.

“What’s wrong, my boy?” Joker says in a demonic voice, slashing his claws across the teen’s face.

Jason falls backwards, his chair breaking as he tumbles through a massive hole. His restraints fall away as he falls through a void before hitting the ground hard. He finds himself on asphalt, in a busy road. He looks back and sees the Joker’s armored van escaping, so he waits for the Batmobile to stop it’s pursuit. Jason knows his OWN memories and he keeps them in mind. He knows Batman stopped and helped him, but… it's not true. The Batmobile speeds up, leaving Jason to die.

“B- Batman… please…” Jason says, beaten, bloody, and high.

As Jason stands, he begins to sweat through his suit as fire suddenly appears around him. The fire begins to engulf him, melting the armor of his suit and burning away at his cape.

“You enjoying the barbeque, kid!?” Firefly says, suddenly flying through the fire and suckerpunching Jason.

The boy falls backwards, through the fire, and lands at Killer Croc’s feet. He growls as he pins Jason to the ground, ripping Jason's right arm off. The boy screams and screams until he snaps awake, restrained to the chair in the warehouse. He is completely unscathed- aside from the injuries he received from Joker. He looks down and finds an adrenaline shot in his thigh.

“We can’t have you dying on us,” the Joker says coldly before leaving Jason alone.

Jason doesn’t see the Joker again for some time, though he’s not sure how long time passes in general. Eventually, he surmises that he’s been trapped for two months at the least. He finds this by figuring that the Joker’s men bring him food and water once every three to five days. Most of the time, when he isn’t being force fed, he’s alone in the complete darkness.

The teenager hasn’t seen himself in months but he can feel it. He can feel the wounds growing infected, turning into nasty scars. He can feel his body dying as he loses weight and muscle mass more and more every day. He almost forgets about the actual violent aspects of the torture. That is until Joker eventually shows his face again.

At some point, the Joker returns to Jason, turning on the single light as he approaches. Jason looks up slowly, exhausted and starving. His lips and mouth feel like a desert as he tries to formulate words.

“Good morning, Jason,” Joker says. “Or evening. It’s so hard to tell, isn’t it?”

“Where have you been?” Jason says dryly. “Performing for kids’ birthday parties?”

“I’ve decided to bring you a present. After all, I didn’t have this closet soundproofed for nothing.”

Joker approaches a closet door near the metal door he came in from. He unlocks the closet door as he grabs his revolver from his coat. As the door opens, Jason hears muffled and terrified screams. The teenager looks curiously but regrets it immediately.

His heart drops as the Joker drags a thin woman from the closet across the floor. He throws her down at Jason’s feet, waiting as she slowly rises to her knees. Jason’s eyes widen as he meets her gaze. He finds it hard to breathe as he looks into her familiar pale, blue eyes.

“Mom?” Jason says, breathless.

“Jason!” Catherine says. “Oh my God… I… I’m so…”

Catherine Todd begins crying uncontrollably at Jason’s feet as streams of tears run down his cheeks. She stands to hug him but the Joker grabs her by her hair and pulls her towards him. She yells in pain as the Joker puts the gun to her head.

“No! Don’t!” Jason screams. “Let her go! She’s not involved!”

“Oh, you’re quite wrong, Jason,” the Joker snaps. “Now, let’s try this again.”

“Don’t…” Jason glares, pulling against his restraints.

“Who…” Joker says, readying the weapon. “Is… Batman?”

“I…” Jason says, tears in his eyes.

“Jason, I’m so sorry!” Catherine bawls.

“I can’t,” Jason says between tears. “I can’t do that. I…”

Joker pulls the trigger and Jason’s heart stops, though he relaxes upon realizing it was a blank. Jason glares at the Joker as he continues to struggle, breaking some bones in his hand in the process.

The Joker cracks the gun across Catherine’s head, knocking her out. He then pulls the gun on Jason, firing once into his left knee and another time into his shoulder. Jason screams in pain as blood pours from the wounds, the bullets having pierced the already damaged suit.

“We’ll try again soon, my boy,” Joker says calmly. “Something big is coming up.”

“I can’t wait to see him break your jaw into pieces,” Jason grinds his teeth as the Joker leaves, putting Catherine back in the closet.

According to Jason’s feeding schedule, it only takes the Joker around two weeks to return the next time. Joker begins with the usual questions, followed by several minutes of torture. The crowbar reopens barely healed wounds and breaks a few bones in Jason’s arm.

“You’re really not going to turn on him?” the Joker says, flicking the blood off of the crowbar. “Even after he’s abandoned you?”

“He hasn’t abandoned me,” Jason sighs, spitting out blood. “He’ll find me.”

“He can’t find you if he’s stopped looking,” Joker replies.

“You’re delusional,” Jason scowls.

The Joker tosses the crowbar to the side as he walks over into the shadows. He places a stool down in front of Jason and places a laptop on it. He opens the laptop and plays a video on loop for the teenager.

Jason gives the clown a confused look before diverting his attention to the screen. She video shows a fight at a construction site in Downtown Gotham City. Batman and Robin battle Clayface, side by side. Batman throws several explosive batarangs, sending small clumps of Clayface across the site.  _ I don’t remember this _ , Jason thinks.  _ But it's been so long… or at least it feels like it. _

Jason watches as Robin throws a birdarang into Clayface’s back that explodes in a cryo-blast, freezing part of the villain solid. Jason frowns as his adrenaline races, watching as Robin extends a bo staff to smash the frozen clay like glass.  _ I never… I don’t use a bo staff _ , Jason thinks as his hands shake.  _ That cryo technology is new. That- that suit is different. The arms aren't completely covered. There’s a gap between the sleeves and gauntlets. _ Jason feels sick to his stomach as a rush of emotions hit him like a freight train.

“That… that isn’t me,” Jason realizes. “And it’s not… no.”

“Yes,” Joker nods as the video loops. “He’s replaced you, Jason. You’re nothing but a replaceable tool to him. Help me stop the madness. Tell me who he is.”

Jason doesn’t reply to him; not consciously. Not out of defiance or in order to protect Bruce, but purely due to his mind drifting from his body. Jason stares off into the distance, his mind racing- never focusing on a single thought.

“He… he wouldn’t… leave me,” Jason mumbles, his tears mixing with blood.

Jason sits in the chair for hours- days, even- just watching the constant loop of the video. Watching his  **replacement** . Watching Batman move on with his life, not even caring that Jason is clinging to life. Soon enough, shortly after his bi-weekly food and drink, the Joker returns in silence. Jason doesn’t spit the usual insults or smartass remarks. He just watches as the Joker closes the laptop, putting it off to the side.

“You know the question,” Joker says, picking up the crowbar.

“P- please,” Jason says mid-breakdown. “I…”

Joker clocks him hard in the face with the crowbar, making him groan in pain. He swings again, hitting Jason hard enough in the leg to break a bone. Screaming in pain, Jason goes into a panic attack as he sees his bone has punctured his skin.

“Please… just kill me,” Jason cries. “I’ll do… I'll do anything.”

Joker glares as he stabs Jason repeatedly in the stomach. The boy slams his head back against the chair.

“His- hi- his name is…” Jason hyperventilates. “Bruce-”

Curiously, Jason never has a chance to finish as the mention of his name seems to infuriate the Joker. The Joker yanks the knife out and swings the crowbar hard with two hands, hitting Jason hard enough to knock him out cold.

The torture continues in various fashions for what must be months. Jason lives everyday in pain, wishing he had died the day before. The Joker has never asked another question about Batman since Jason nearly revealed, though the torture continues nevertheless. Day by day, Jason resists less and less. Every day, he feels as if he could die of any moment.

Jason spends some time never really seeing the Joker, though he doessee his henchmen. What feels like every day, they come in and see him- always doing the same thing. One of the henchmen knocks the chair onto it’s back, making Jason face the ceiling. The other would then throw a bag over Jason’s head and waterboard him.

Jason coughs and instinctively gasps for breath, drowning while on his back. Eventually, the pull him up, throwing the bag off as he coughs up water as he’s soaked. Very quickly, the henchmen set up a car battery, connecting it to Jason’s chair and the sitting water.

“Alright, bird boy,” one of them says. “Now for some questions.”

“I… just let me go…”

“Who’s hurt you these last few months?” he asks. “Who gave you these wounds?”

“The Jok-”

“Wrong!” one of them says, electrifying Jason. “It’s Batman!”

The teenager screams in agony as he feels the current running through him. He twists and turns in his chair as the men laugh.

“Again…” the henchman says. “Who hurt you?”

“Joke-”

Again, Jason is electrified as his mind swirls and shifts.  _ Why can’t… just kill me! My mind is… ripping apart! _

The clowns don’t let up until Jason fully passes out from the pain. The next day, as Jason wakes up, the henchmen return with food and water. They harass Jason while making sure he doesn’t die of starvation. Jason expects them to leave after, but… that’s when he sees the bag and the bucket of water.

The torture of the day before is repeated with the same results. In fact, it happens multiple times a day for several days. Weeks. Maybe more than that. Eventually, Jason breaks down. He’s waterboarded again. He’s shocked several times.

“Who did this to you, Robin?” the henchman demands.

“I… I…” Jason mumbles. “The- Batman. Batman did this to me.”

The henchmen share a look before leaving, allowing Jason to hang his head and drift off to sleep.

The henchmen return the next day, waterboarding the teen once more. Just as before, Jason answers their question with “the Joker” and is electrified. Then, when he answers Batman, he’s spared. This time, it isn’t long before someone comes back. Two figures enter the room, dressed in Batman costumes.

“Batman?” Jason says, shocked.

“Shut up, Boy Wonder,” one of them smirks.

The two Batmen approach and begin to violently beat on Jason to the point where they knock his chair over, breaking the wooden seat. They kick him in the side as he groans in pain, spitting up blood.

Jason lies on the ground, feeling like death as the two Batman relentlessly attack him. It’s at that moment when, suddenly, the exhaustion and hopelessness fades only to be replaced by fury. Jason grabs a broken piece of the chair that had snapped into a sharp point. He grips it with a glare on his face before stabbing it hard into one of the men’s legs. He screams and falls back as Jason manages to stand, dodging a punch from the other one.

“Robin, you-!”   
“Shut the fuck up.”

Jason tackles “Batman” to the ground, beating on him relentlessly.

“You put me here!” Jason screams. “You never believed in me! Never!”

“Please-”

“You’ve wanted me dead,” Jason growls. “You tortured me! Broke me!”

Jason stands as the Joker enters the room, smiling as he watches the scene. Jason charges the other Batman, clocking him hard in the jaw and kneeing him in the gut. Before he can react, Jason slams his head into the wall. Jason stands, exhausted and taxed- both mentally and physically. The Joker walks over, holding a handgun in either hand.

“You’re ready,” the Joker smiles. “I can see it in your eyes. So could he. He always planned to leave you to die. He always knew you were better in every possible way. That look in your eye? It scared him.”

Jason’s head begins to spin as he stands there, taking in all of what the Joker tells him. He slowly nods as he looks down at the barely conscious Batmen.

“But that look?” he grins, handing one of the guns to him. “It’s why I rescued you. I always knew there was someone special behind those eyes.”

“What… are you-”

“You are the only chance Gotham has,” Joker explains. “You’re the only one who can really put a stop to the Bat. You’re the only one who can protect the people you love from him.”

Jason aims the gun at one of the men but hesitates. His mind is a jumbled mess, filled with nothing but contradictions and mysteries. He breathes heavily as he focuses on the bat insignia.

“Batman I- I c- c- can’t…”

“Sure you can!” The Joker says, shooting and killing the Batman. “I saved your life- I pulled you out of the dark, and now you’re the only one protecting this town from people like Batman. I’ve chosen you for this.  _ I _ believe in you, son.”

Jason looks to the other Batman, who looks up in fear. Jason turns and faces the surviving Batman.

“When the Bat’s gone,” the Joker says in a whisper as Jason raises the gun at Batman. “Everybody’s life gets a bit better.”

“No- no, please don’t…” Batman says.

Jason pulls the trigger with a scowl on his face and an icy look in his eye.

Things begin to get easier for Jason when he stops resisting. The Joker replaced Jason’s chair and restraints but has also stopped feeding him the disgusting slop he calls food. Jason- for the first time in forever- has a decent meal. Of course, the torture still occurs but Jason has begun to blame himself. Or the Bat. One day, the Joker returns and sets up a video camera in front of Jason.

“Joker?” Jason asks. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, I’m glad you asked, Jason,” the Joker explains. “We’re going to send a message to him! Update him on our progress.”

“Him?” Jason says tiredly.

“Who else?” Joker smiles.

“Batman,” Jason glares at the ground.

The camera turns on with a red light activating and, suddenly, the Joker shifts into his more familiar persona. The Joker walks from the camera, going behind Jason and placing his hands on his shoulders. The feeling sends a strange shiver down Jason’s spine.

“Have you got something to tell the nice man, Jason?” Joker prods.

“My name is Jason Todd,” Jason says, looking down with his hair hanging in his eyes.

“Who do you hate, my boy?” Joker smiles.

Anger, hatred, and unrelenting rage rises in the young boy- overflowing like a pot of boiling water. Jason slightly raises his head, looking at the bat symbol sticker the Joker put above the camera lens.

“Batman,” Jason scowls.

“Excellent,” the Joker grins, walking off screen by the camera. “Of course you do. Why wouldn’t you? He abandoned you after all. Now, who do you belong to?”

“To you, Joker,” Jason says honestly, not skipping a beat.

“Did you hear that, Bats?” Joker gloats, looking into the camera only a few inches away. “Kid’s not yours anymore. He’s mine. Mine, mine, mine, mine. To do with as I wish.”

Jason hangs his head down, still scowling and tense. The Joker flicks a switchblade open as he walks up to Jason, though Jason’s adrenaline doesn’t even budge.

“We should honor this moment!” Joker says, gripping Jason’s jaw and making him look at him. “Make sure no one ever forgets the day I made him mine.”

Jason groans in pain as the Joker carves the blade into Jason’s cheek, his other hand holding him steady. When Joker lets him go, blood trails and streams from the new “J” deeply carved into Jason’s face.

The Joker walks to the camera, placing the blade down on the table just behind it. He picks up something new, though Jason’s view of it is obstructed.

“Hey, I never asked. What’s the big secret?” the Joker lies with a grin on his face. “Who is the big, bad Bat? His name. Tell me.”

“Of course, sir. It’s-”

“Never could stand a tattletale,” the Joker laughs hysterically as he turns and shoots Jason in the chest.

Jason, still trapped in the chair, falls back as he blood splatters. He lays on the ground in pain, not saying a word. He runs the day through his mind, realizing that, from Batman’s perspective, Jason is dead or dying. To be fair, Jason’s not really sure if that’s inaccurate or not..

“That’s why I prefer to work alone. No one to spoil the punchline,” the Joker says to the camera with a chuckle. “You should try it sometime.”

Joker walks across the room, stepping over Jason’s “corpse” to get to another table of tools. He goes back, with a handsaw in his gloved hand.

“After all, you’ve seen what happens when you drag your friends into this crazy little game of ours,” the Joker says as he steps over Jason. “Working alone is really only a problem when you need an extra set of hands.”

The Joker lifts up the camera so Batman can see Joker's face and Jason on the ground, bleeding out.

“Let’s see if we can’t solve that little conundrum!” The Joker proclaims, raising the handsaw as he laughs.

Once the Joker ends the video, he picks Jason back up. He manages to cauterize Jason’s wound, his smile long gone. Jason looks at him, very confused.

“I- I thought…” Jason begins.

“Oh, I don’t want you dead, my boy,” Joker says, placing a hand on his cheek. “You mean the world to me. I need you. I also need the Bat to believe you’re dead. He won’t expect a dead man to come after him, would he?”

In the coming days, though Jason is unaware until later, The Joker sends the video in an envelope directly to Wayne Enterprises and addressed to Bruce Wayne. Joker counts on Batman becoming furious and enraged. However, he doesn’t count on Batman picking up on slight background noises and the faint image of a Qurac shipping company logo in the shadows.

Jason may not know the full reason, but in the next few days he sees the Joker becoming erratic and angry. The clown enters the room, placing a bomb down in one side of the room. He carefully arms it, setting the timer for five minutes.

“Joker?” Jason asks. “What’s- what’re you doing?”

“I’m sorry, my boy,” the Joker sighs. “I had such big plans, but it seems the Bat has caught wind.”

“He’s on his way here?” Jason says as his anger boils over.

“I’m afraid so,” Joker sighs. “So, our time together is at an end.”

“Aren’t you going to take me with you?” Jason asks. “Please, don’t let him kill me here!”

“I’m sorry,” Joker sighs. “But you wouldn’t have survived the ordeal anyway. I just have one more loose end to clean up.”

“No, wait…” Jason begs as the Joker pulls Catherine Todd out of the closet. “Please! Don’t!”

The Joker throws her down at Jason’s feet and pulls his gun out of his jacket. She looks up at Jason with tears in her eyes as the Joker puts a gun to her head.

“Jason- I love you, son…” she says between sobs.

“I- I’m so sorry, Mom,” Jason says, tears running down his face.

Jason’s world comes to a standstill as the Joker pulls the trigger-  _ no, Batman. Batman killed her! She never would have been here if not for him! _ His mother’s blood and brain matter splatters across his body. He watches as the corpse falls to the ground, her face deformed as blood pours from the orifice.

Joker says some final words to Jason but he doesn’t really register it. Jason sits there- alone for several minutes. He feels the full weight of the past year on his mind as the timer ticks down. Every single moment in this confusing and warped warehouse feels imprinted on his brain. He remembers fighting alongside Batman and Nightwing. He remembers meeting Batgirl at the gala. He remembers meeting Roy Harper and his time with the Titans. However, every memory of Batman feels tainted and twisted- he feels electrifying pains if he focuses too hard on it.

Jason looks across the room at the digital timer on the clock.  _ 40 seconds. _ Is this how he’s going to die? Alone and covered in blood in a strange place? In pain?  _ 20 seconds. _ Jason closes his eyes as tears run down his face, waiting for the inevitable silence of death. A very different sound invades his ears, however. He hears a powerful, revving engine. The sound of rubber tearing away at asphalt and sand. The engine and the way the vehicle comes to a stop- he knows it too well.

“Batman?” Jason says, opening his eyes as he feels a splitting headache.

He looks across the room at the bomb.  _ 3 seconds. 2 seconds. 1 sec- _

  
  
  
  
  


The blackness engulfs him completely. A painful and strange sensation pulls at his chest as his vision slowly returns to him. Jason feels his body being crushed and squished by heavy rocks as he feels the heat of a nearby fire.

“Jason!” a familiar, gruff voice calls out. “Jason! Where are you??”

“Bru-” Jason coughs up blood.

The rocks over him begin to shift and soon, they’re thrown to the side as Batman stands over him. The Dark Knight stands in shock, removing his cowl as he kneels down.

“Jason…”

“I- I’m so-” Jaosn tries but again coughs up blood.

“It’s okay, Jay,” Bruce says calmly, holding Jason’s hand. “You’re okay.”

Jason looks down at his own body and coughs up more blood as he sees the piece of rebar sticking out of his chest. Tears well in his eyes as he looks up to the older man, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.

“Dad, I… I’m scared,” Jason says. “I don’t… I don’t want to… to die…”

Bruce doesn’t say much in response. He remains by Jason’s side, crying with the Robin with a broken wing. Jason’s grip on Bruce’s glove lessens as the boy lays his head back. Bruce clenches his fists and shuts his eyes as Jason’s chest stops moving.

“Master Bruce?” Alfred says in Bruce’s ear. “What’s happened?”

“He’s… he’s gone, Alfred.”


	15. Epilogue

A dormant warehouse sits on the waterfront in Gotham City’s East End, a rusty sign hanging on the side condemning. However, inside, the building is outfitted with state of the art technology- a highly advanced and secure computer used for monitoring purposes, a rack of various weapons used for sparring, and a large central area for training. A faded icon of a bat adorns the center of this area as two people sit together on an old couch off to the side.

The first is a young, twelve year old girl with jet black hair and green eyes. She wears sweatpants and a Power Girl t-shirt which has become damp with sweat. She puts her hair into a quick bun as she listens to her partner. The older of the two is a man in his early thirties with blue eyes and black hair, sporting a premature streak of silver. He wears durable pants and combat boots as well as a dark tank top, allowing many scars to be exposed.

The older man scratches the stubble on his face as he attempts to think of something to fill the silence. Although, nothing really comes to mind. The girl looks up at him, her eyes lingering on the “J” scar on his cheek.

“Jason?” she says.

“Yeah, Helena?” he replies, looking to the obsidian haired girl.

“Are you okay?” she asks. “You stopped telling the story.”

“Well, that was the end, Hela,” he shrugs. “Bruce- your dad- he found me in the ruins of that place and I died from my injuries.”

She kicks him hard in the leg, prompting him to shove her with a smirk. She chuckles as he shakes his head.

“What was that?” he questions.

“Just checking something,” she replies. “You don’t seem like a ghost. How are you… you know.”

“Alive?” Jason Todd finishes. “It’s still a weird one for me. A few months after my funeral there was some weird… Justice League thing.”

“Justice League?”

“Eh, some alternate reality Superman fractured the wall of reality,” Jason explains. “The shockwave altered parts of our reality and I happened to wake up in my coffin. The rest of it is a much longer story.”

“So, why tell me all of this?” Helena asks as she follows her brother to the training area. “Don’t get me wrong- it’s awesome. I’m just confused. What happened when you woke up?”  
“That's a story for another time, but... I see how you look at all of this,” Jason explains as the two square up. “And it- well, you really remind me of myself sometimes.”

“Is that a good thing?” Helena asks, making a running kick at Jason. “Or bad?”

Jason dodges the kick, forcing her leg down as he gets behind her. He gives a light shove with his boot, causing the girl to stumble to her hands and knees.

“Both, I guess,” Jason says, cracking his knuckles. “I was an angry kid who was dealt a shitty hand. I didn’t have direction.”

Helena stands and attacks again, landing a few solid blows. Most of the strikes are blocked, however.

“Bruce… he…” Jason struggles as he avoids the punches. “He tried to help. He had good intentions, I think. He saw himself in me and he tried to fix his own problems through me. However, all he really did was give me opportunities to let my rage loose.”

“And you got killed,” she says, tripping Jason.

“Right,” he says, scrambling back to his feet. “I was angry enough at the world that I didn’t care what happened to me. I know I don’t have to tell you what the world can take from people. Bruce and Selina- your parents… its been three years since Ra’s killed them. I just want you realize that you don’t have to do this.”

“I want to!” she says, landing a kick on Jason’s bad knee.

The man falls to one knee as the teenager runs for another strike. He deflects her blow and uses the momentum to flip her onto the padded ground.

“I know you do,” Jason says as he stands. “But this life… it’s not something you’re born into. Not really. People like us? We’re not aliens or metahumans. We don’t have special abilities. That means the sacrifices we have to make for others... it hurts all the more.”

“I think I understand,” she says as Jason helps her to her feet. “But my parents died for this fight. So did Dick. So did the Justice League- most of them, at least. I’m not shying away.”

“Good,” he smiles. “Because when your training’s done, I’ll need a badass like you at my side.”

“Ready for another round, old man?” she smirks.

“Just let me-”

Jason is cut off as an alert sounds off from the computer. He holds a finger up as he turns to the monitor.

“Hold that thought, Lena,” Jason says as he approaches. “Batcomputer?”

“Incoming call from the Belfry,” the Batcomputer OS says.

Jason walks up to the computer, accepting the call. Suddenly, a woman appears on screen with green eyes and red hair kept in a tight bun. She scrunches the freckles on her face as she concentrates on a second monitor, bringing a smile to Jason’s face. The woman also wears a striped button up shirt and a suit jacket.

“Hey, Barbie,” Jason smiles.

“Jay,” she returns. “I need-”

“Look, we tried six cakes yesterday,” Jason jokes. “I need to keep my figure. You’re better with the wedding stuff any-”

“It’s not that, Jason,” she shakes her head. “There’s a shootout at Park Row and you’re the closest Outsider.”

“Park Row?” Jason says as his smile drops.

“Outside the Thompkins Memorial Medical Center,” she explains. “Several members of the Jokerz have engaged the GCPD after a robbery. Two officers are down, one’s dead.”

“We’ve got this, Barbara,” Helena says eagerly.

“I’m sorry, kiddo,” Barbara sighs. “But you’re not ready. You don’t even have a suit. Come back to the Belfry, okay?”

“Alright…” Helena says, disappointed.

“Jason?” Barbara says.

“I’m on it, Babs,” Jason nods. “I’ll keep in touch. Get home safe, Helena.”

“Kick some ass for me,” Helena smiles.

Jason nods as he suits up. The former Robin suits up into his black, lightweight uniform. His belt carries a remnant of his Robin uniform- sporting an “R” logo on the center. The black body armor sports a red bat on his chest, though it’s a different design than Batman’s old logo. He throws on his black jacket and domino mask before approaching his red helmet. He presses his lips as he stares into its white eyes. He puts the helmet on as he looks over to Helena.

“You did good today, Helena,” Jason says. “You’re making real progress.”

“Thanks, Jay,” the girl smirks.

The Red Hood gets on his motorcycle and drives out as the doors open for him.

Gotham City has always been a sprawling metropolis but, in years past, this was only true for the Southern areas of the city. Now, in 2029, nearly the entire city is covered in towering skyscrapers or other impressive buildings powered by green energy. Flying cargo transports go over the heavy traffic on the streets, weaving between the shining towers.

The Red Hood weaves through the traffic of the East End as a holographic projection of the bat symbol hangs in the night sky. _Park Row_ , Jason thinks as he rides across the Sparng Bridge into the Bowery. _I can’t remember the last time I actually took a walk through here. Had to be when we opened Doc Thompkins’ new clinic._ The Red Hood speeds past the art museum and under the high-speed monorail on his way to the Row.

Park Row is in a much cleaner state than it was when Jason was a kid. The G.C.P.D.’s Park Row precinct is rebuilt, just like the apartment complex burned down by Firefly, and the once-abandoned Solomon Wayne Courthouse has been refurbished for active use. Leslie Thompkins’ free clinic has been expanded into a state of the art medical center funded by Wayne Enterprises and Gordon Clean Energy.

A few blocks from the medical center, several police officers take cover behind two of their squad cars. A third car is on fire off to the side as a group of criminals open fire on the cops. The armed men and women sport very punk-grunge looks, though all of them have also made themselves look like clowns.

“Oracle, I’m here,” the Red Hood says to his earpiece. “Don’t tell me your father’s here.”

“He’s on his way,” she replies. “So, please wrap this up before he shows up? I’d rather him make it to retirement. Do you need backup?”

“I’ve got it,” the Red Hood says, coming to a quick stop by the cops. “Standby.”

“It’s the Red Hood!” one of the cops says as one of their own gets shot. “We have wounded!”

“All of you stay down,” the Hood advises as he unholsters his handguns. “Oracle?”

“EMTs can’t risk getting by the Jokerz,” Oracle explains.

“Alright, clowns,” Red Hood says, standing on the cop car. “Pack it up. The circus is out of town.”

“Damn, it’s the Red Hood!” one of them says. “He killed him, didn’t he?”

“He did!” another with a Joker face tattoo says. “He killed the Joker!”

“The bastard had it coming,” Red Hood says before firing off his rubber bullets.

The vigilante somersaults out of the way to avoid the gunfire, though a few bullets impact the armor of his suit. He rolls to the ground, holstering one of the guns as he throws razor batarangs at the group. During a lapse in fire, the Red Hood charges and breaks a man’s nose. As he’s startled, the Red Hood grabs him by his hair and slams him into the ground. He then takes out the knees of another one before breaking a woman’s arm, forcing her to drop the gun. He dodges the swing of a metal baseball bat and pistol whips him before kicking him in the back, sending him into two others. The final two attempt to run, so Red Hood fires his grappling gun, tripping one of them and using them to trip the other. As the two try to get up, he walks over and stomps their heads into the ground.

The Red Hood stands around as EMTs and G.C.P.D. reinforcements arrive. The chief of police, Jim Gordon, steps out of an unmarked car with a hand on his gun as the officers cuff the attackers. The veteran detective looks very stressed and weathered with all of his red hair gone, now replaced with grey.

“Red Hood,” Jim greets.

“Chief Gordon,” the Red Hood replies. “Shouldn’t you be at the office?”

“I’m still a cop,” he sighs. “I don’t care what title they paint on my door.”  
“I doubt Barbara will appreciate it,” Red Hood says as he crosses his arms, looking at the scene.   
“You’re not a snitch, Red,” Gordon replies.

“If you say so,” Red Hood says. “Can you spare a smoke?”

“You know I quit, jackass.”

“It was just a test, Jim,” Red Hood chuckles. “How do you think-”

“Sorry to break up the moment,” Oracle says in Red Hood’s ear. “But you need to go.”

“Why? What’s wrong?” Red Hood asks.

“What’s going on?” Gordon asks.

“He found out,” Oracle says anxiously. “I’m sorry, I tried to keep him blind but- you need to go! I’m picking up four sentries already!”

“It’s Eye,” Red Hood says. “I need to run, Jim.”

“Keep your head down, Red,” Jim nods.

The Red Hood runs for his motorcycle but stops as an anti-grav platform hovers over it. He looks up and glares at the four man-sized androids standing atop it. He unholsters his gun and loads a round of armor-piercing bullets as he steps back.

“Cease all illegal activities,” one of the androids orders.

“Subject identified: Red Hood. No known meta-abilities. Active vigilante. Threat level: delta,” another one says as it scans the vigilante with the red screen/eye on it’s face. “Suggested action: capture and interro-”

“I don’t think so!” the Red Hood snaps as he shoots the bot in the eye, deactivating it.

The other three bots drop down and engage the vigilante. One of them grabs his left arm as another tries to grab the other. The Red Hood dodges the grab and fires a few bullets through its chest before twisting in the grasp of the android.

“End your resistance,” the android orders as the Red Hood flips behind it, bending the arm back far enough to rip it from its socket.

Before it could react, the Red Hood shoots a bullet into the back of the head. The fourth one begins to charge at him before the Red Hood throws an explosive batarang.

The vigilante rides through the streets as flying assault drones pursue him. He grips the bike as bullets hit his back, bruising him through his armor. _This is a new jacket!_ Jason curses. _Damn sentries…_ He takes a sharp turn through an alleyway, cutting behind the Solomon Wayne Courthouse.  
The drones chase him across the river, firing on him and endangering civilians. He groans as he feels a bullet pierce his armor, grinding his teeth as he enters the East End.

“Oracle!” the Red Hood says through the sharp pain.

“Standby!” she replies. “Batwing and Black Bat are around the corner. Cass needs a pickup, so…”

“I can make a stop,” he nods as he makes another sharp turn, barely avoiding a city bus.

The Red Hood comes to a hard stop near a nightclub in the East End, watching as two other costumed vigilantes finish off armed attackers. As he sits on the motorcycle, he opens fire with his gun and takes down two of the sentry drones.

One of the vigilantes wears a sleek and lightweight metallic black suit with yellow accents. The underside of her cape is yellow, just like the wide “V” shaped bat symbol on her chest. A short, black ponytail can be seen coming from the back. The other wears a metal suit with wings between the arms and sides. Like many in Gotham, she has the pointed bat ears, but her eyes and bat symbol glow a dull purple.

“Need some help, Hood?” Batwing says, flying up into the air.

“Just a little,” the Red Hood says. “Double-B- you coming?”

The black and yellow one nods in silence before sprinting over. On her way, she throws razor batarangs at the drones- all three hit their intended targets.

The two ride off on the motorcycle as Batwing easily finishes off the drones before catching up. As they near the Diamond District, Batwing splits off to gain altitude as the motorcycle approaches an old and closed off subway tunnel. Black Bat tightens her grip on the bike as the motorcycle speeds towards a brick wall as the hidden doors open.

The two ride down the winding tunnel until they come to a stop on a rounded metal platform. The platform- a hidden elevator- rises quickly above the ground up through the center of a mostly empty building. Jason removes his helmet in order to swipe the sweat from his forehead.

“You alright, Cass?” he asks.

“I am,” Cassandra Cain says as she removes the faceplate of her cowl. “Thank you for the assist.”

“Same to you,” Jason nods with a smile. “That was too close.”

The elevator eventually stops in the middle of an expansive room. The place is full of high tech equipment- both weaponry and real tech. Near a second, smaller elevator, Barbara Gordon sits at the multi-monitored Batcomputer.

The area is a true upgrade to the Batcave, but with a view. Jason dismounts the motorcycle, walking to the large one-way mirror in order to look out at the Gotham skyline.

“Dad! You’re back!”

Jason turns around only to be tackled by an eight year old boy. He smirks as he hugs the boy back tight. He pulls away, putting his hands on the kid’s arms.

“You should be in bed, little man,” Jason smiles as he kneels down.

“I was worried about you,” he says with a frown.

The young boy looks up at Jason Todd with green eyes, just like his mother. A dozen or more freckles are sprinkled across his nose and cheekbones. His fiery hair is offset by a white streak cutting through it, though he wears a hat over it.

“That’s sweet…” Jason ventures. “But you have school tomorrow- or, today. Where’s…”

“I apologize, Jason,” a seventy-something Alfred Pennyworth says, coming down the stairs. “Rick slipped by me when I was fetching him a glass of water.”

“It’s alright, Alfred,” Helena says, standing from a lounge area of the Belfry. “I can tuck him in.”

“Very well, Helena,” Alfred says with a yawn.

“Why don’t you get some shut-eye, Alfred,” Barbara says as she walks up to Jason. “It’s pretty late.”

“I won’t fight you on it, Miss Barbara,” Alfred smiles before following Helena and Rick upstairs.

Barbara holds Jason’s hands as she looks up to him. He smiles down at her before they share a sweet kiss, silhouetted by the bright lights of the Gotham City nightlife.

“Are you okay?” Barbara asks in a whisper.

“It’s just a bullet,” Jason replies in the same tone of voice. “Is everyone here? We need to talk.”

“I’ll call them,” she nods. “Take that off and I’ll patch you up.”

“If it’s like that, we can wait before we call them,” he jokes.

“No, I really need to fit into my wedding dress, Jay,” she chuckles, kissing him on the shoulder.

Within a few minutes, Jason sits backwards in a chair as he faces his allies in the briefing area of the Belfry. Jason only wears his pants and boots, as Barbara cleans the bullet wounds on his back- this allows a large, Y shaped autopsy scar on Jason’s chest, among others. Jason looks out at his allies for a moment before speaking. _Cassandra Cain, Duke Thomas, Stephanie Drake, Jean-Paul Valley, Tiffany Fox, Julia Kane, and Harley Quinn,_ Jason lists. _It feels like there’s less of us every day at this point._

“It was another set of successes today,” Jason finally says. “But I didn’t call everyone here to stroke our ego. Brother Eye’s response time has gotten faster and faster every single night. His robots continue to get more advanced. Even with the help of the police, Eye is still a major threat to the operations of the Outsiders.”

“So, you’re saying we’re garbage?” Harley jokes. “Oh, well nice ta’ know.”

“No, Harley,” Jason shakes his head. “I’m saying we’re all still trying to hold on to the past. Nine years ago, our lives were uprooted when Bludhaven was sacked. Hell, even three years ago we had some normalcy until C-Day. That’s all any of us want- to just go back to normal.”

A look of guilt and grieving comes over the team, as if everyone feels an extra ton on their shoulders.

“But we can’t,” Jason sighs. “You can’t put the lightning back in the bottle. Dick is… Dick’s dead. Kory and Mar’i left the solar system for God’s sake. Bruce and Selina were killed in front of us only three years back and we were far from the only ones to lose someone that day. We need to move forward and adapt- it’s the only way to make sure they didn’t die in vain.”

“What about Damian?” Stephanie asks. “When you and him went after Ra’s…”  
“Damian made a choice,” Jason sighs. “I want him to be back with us, but… we have enough problems to deal with here. We are not losing anyone else.”

“We’re here, Jason,” Jean-Paul states. “Wherever you and Barbara lead, we’ll follow.”

The rest of the group agrees in silence as a smile tugs at Jason’s lips.

“Gotham really could use a Batman to rally behind,” Barbara whispers in Jason’s ear.

“It’s not the time for that,” Jason says firmly. “I already said no. The Outsiders…”

He watches as the team disperses, some going to relax as others return to their research and training.

“The Outsiders are all we have,” Jason says.

After Barbara finishes the stitches, the two walk back to the large window in order to look out over the Diamond District. Jason wraps an arm around the red head’s waist as she lays her head on his shoulder.

“We have a lot in front of us, Jay,” she says with a sigh. “I don’t know how Bruce did it.”

“I know what you mean,” he says, kissing her forehead. “I really don’t want to see your dad learn how to dance for the reception.”

“You’re an ass,” Barbara laughs. “But seriously, I-”

“It took me too long to realize, Barbie,” Jason sighs. “That being on your own? It- it isn't more effective. It just hurts less. There’s less people to let down, I guess. But this is how we’ll beat him. Together. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Me neither.”

The couple stares off into the distance in silence, contemplating what the future holds for them. Whatever it is, they’ll face it head on.


End file.
